No Evidence
by Arctic-Starflowers
Summary: Silver, in desperate need of chaos drives, travels back through time. Espio, investigating a case of missing chaos drives for the Chaotix, is at a loss for what to do next. The two run into each other by chance, and Espio makes a promise to help Silver, whatever it takes. (Espilver)
1. I

**A/N:** _Hello people! this was written and posted ten months ago, to the one-shot collection. HOWEVER, I decided to cut it out of there and make it its own story! Because it's so long and it's kind of my Espilver masterpiece novelette! So it's here, guys. Please tell me what you think! (tbh this was was a gift for thekyuubivixen) And also:_ _Silver obviously has no memory of any previous time-travel-adventures, and I decided to delete the Rivals 2 timeline – as in: it **did** happen, but no one remembers. _

**.**

 **No Evidence**

* * *

 _Go. It'll be fine._

His hand shook as he gripped the emerald, whispering two words for all of the emptiness of the night to hear…

And then he vanished.

* * *

The problem was, unsurprisingly, the fact that there were no evidence.

-Which Espio was currently explaining to Vector, weaving through the masses of the main street while keeping a subtle eye on his surroundings. _So GUN knows nothin'?,_ Vector had questioned _. Not unless they didn't tell me,_ had Espio answered _._ To which Vector said, _Well go and look around the hospital then!_

And that's where Espio was heading. The traffic stood practically still, the sidewalks crowded, and everyone in the whole city seemed to have decided to go shopping at the same time (of course that wasn't the case - Espio reckoned that actually happening wouldbe much, much worse). It was also a quite beautiful day, so that was probably the reason so many people were about…

He made his way through the city. Many, many hours of mostly aimless wandering had uncovered a few places suitable for shortcuts, and using them, it didn't take long for him to reach his goal: Station Square's main hospital. The largest out of several, and with the most expensive equipment. Everyone just called it the main hospital.

People were leaving and entering, the glass doors constantly swinging open and closing, and Espio went inside, trying to decide whether he should pretend he was there to visit first, and look around, or go straight up to the receptionist and say he's a detective on a case. GUN had called the Chaotix for help after all, so Espio could probably demand them to show him around the place…

Hmmm.

He would start with talking to the deer behind the counter, then. (Since she was the only receptionist not occupied at the moment) He started walking up to the counter, but just then another person stepped forward instead. Espio frowned slightly, but moved to stand behind them. Him? It was a hedgehog, that much could be decided… his fur was blinding white. His clothes had a sort of futuristic look to them. He had bruises and smears of mud scattered over his body…

Espio's interest was piqued, though he tried to push it away. But this hedgehog… he had something _peculiar_ about him…

* * *

Everywhere. People. Crowds beside the streets, surrounding the shops… Silver had never in his life seen this many buildings gathered in one place, so many people, languages, cultures put together in… in, what, this place was too _much_. And… and humans were so _tall_ , the books hadn't said anything – and money? Vehicles? …Directions?

… _They didn't even write anything like his language in the past._ Apparently.

-Silver struggled to pick just one emotion to land on, from his horrifying cocktail of fear, anxiety, awe, wonder, nausea, embarrassment, worry, uncertainty…

 _Anyway_ , roaming around this horribl(y crowded and strange)e place and asking just about everyone he met for directions ("You're from abroad?" "Um, yeah. We don't have… have signs where I come from." "…Yeah right."), and _then,_ finally _,_ he somehow ended up in the hospital- at which he dashed up to the counter after a few seconds of nervous looking around, because that deer at the counter could probably help him – or at least that's what she should do, right?

(Easy really wasn't part of this plan, he thought with a growing sense of… something unpleasant. (Take your pick))

-And so he stepped up to the counter, barely registering the fact that there had been a person behind him.

"How may I help you sir?" asked the deer politely.

"I- Could I buy chaos drives here?"

 _Chaos drives_. In his head, he said with an air of wonder. Of hope. Of _desperation_. Of 'please, please, please, I need to save my friend'. _They're the only things that can save her._

And the deer answered, "Sorry, but I'm afraid you can't," with an apologetic look.

… _No_

"Everyone says you can buy them at the hospital!" exclaimed Silver. "Please, miss!"

The deer shook her head, and said, "Well, yes, maybe – but we're all out of chaos drives right now, and the next delivery will not be anytime soon."

"When?"

The deer said with a bit of strained politeness, "In two weeks, if you're lucky, sir."

 _Two weeks?_

"…There's none left? Nothing?" Silver asked at last, quietly, but with the way he said 'nothing', he might as well have been pleading.

She shook her head.

* * *

Yeah, Espio had been eavesdropping. And now he was sort of interested. See, his case – which had been sent their way by GUN, for reasons – had everything to do about chaos drives. _Missing_ chaos drives. Very valuable chaos drives, infused with healing chemicals, which were often used in emergencies, and were now all missing, crates upon crates, from the hospital and GUN's storages…

…And also, Espio might be feeling a bit sorry for this guy, though he probably wouldn't admit it if asked.

He stepped up to the counter, and two pairs of eyes landed on him. The hedgehog looked devastated, while the deer quickly asked if she could help him. And he quickly and politely said no, excusing himself to quickly catch up with the hedgehog, who was already heading for the doors-

"Excuse me sir," Espio says, slowing down and touching the hedgehog's shoulder lightly. He stopped, and spun around, looking surprised, his hand flying up as if an instinct. And then his eyes took in Espio, and his arm awkwardly fell, just as Espio remembered to remove his hand from his shoulder.

"Uh… did you need something?"

"Were you looking for chaos drives?" countered Espio, trying not to appear too curious.

The hedgehog blinked, twice, surprised again. "Yeah…" A sigh. "They're all out, though…"

Deciding to be straight-forward, Espio then said, "Actually, I might be able to help you find some. My name's Espio."

The hedgehog looked even more lost. But then something lit up in his eyes, and he said, "Wait – you'll help me?"

"Yes. If you'll help me out later."

"Sure," the hedgehog agrees, standing straighter. "Anything you want, if you can just help me get some chaos drives." He looks so hopeful. And then realisation hits him, and he awkwardly holds out a hand, saying, "Um, I'm Silver. Nice to meet you."

Espio takes and shakes his hand, saying, "Likewise."

-And then they both realised that they were blocking the doors, and quickly stepped out onto the sidewalk…

* * *

So Espio made a kind of deal with the guy, Silver, but maybe he should have planned things better. Though Silver… he really trusted people easily. –Or was it Espio who had encountered too many rotten people through his job?

Sneaking a glance at Silver again, and Espio's gaze caught on the bruises again. It looked like he had been falling, and crashing, and ultimately ended up scraping his legs and arms, getting mud over him too… and then Espio looked away before Silver could notice him looking, and glanced out over the street instead.

They could go to the house-slash-office of the Chaotix – Espio could bring him there and explain a few things. Ask _him_ a few things. Or he could bring him to a café, try and get to know the guy by the power of idle chit-chat. And while they would be walking, Espio could try and justify exactly why he was bringing Silver along… because he sure as hell couldn't be considered a suspect. More like a victim…

…And for whatever reason he so badly needed chaos drives, Espio wanted to help him. Silver looked so lost, so out of place… Espio just wanted to point him in the right direction.

-actually, he wouldn't mind a coffee right now. A café it was, then.

Espio threw Silver one last look, and then told him he knew a café nearby. Silver looked puzzled, Espio silently wondered why, and then he just told Silver to follow him, which Silver almost gratefully did. Espio then set off with the destination in mind, keeping an eye on Silver to make sure he wouldn't lose him in the crowds…

 _What a strange hedgehog_ , Espio then thought absently, as Silver stared, wide-eyed and awed, at the trains down in the subway as Espio bought their tickets.

* * *

Whoa. This guy was going to help him. He said. –But what in the world is a café? What had happened in the past anyway? …Was this guy really going to help him? _...Was she still alive?_ She sent him to the past, or well, he sent himself after she gave him the emerald – but Blaze had thought she was going to _die_! He just couldn't – _she couldn't die_ , he _had_ to get those chaos drives…

"Here," said the stranger, Espio, suddenly, and Silver came to an abrupt halt.

"Here?" he repeated, as calmly as he could manage. He took a look at the building in front of him, eyes quickly going over the signs he couldn't read, the tables and the people, the walls soaked in pastel colours and the flowerpots standing guard, taking in the chatter and clinking of cups.

"Yes," said Espio. Silver nodded. And then he turned to look at Espio, who had apparently been looking at him… "Are you from abroad?"

 _Abroad_? "Uh, yeah. Sure – I can tell you all about it later!" Silver smiled awkwardly, and Espio just nodded slowly, saying nothing.

"Well," Espio said at last, and started heading for the doors of the café. And of course Silver had to follow, because that guy was the closest thing to success that Silver had, and _he_ ought to know the customs of the past, since he lived here… Unless Silver had had the unbelievably bad luck to run into _another_ time-traveller, that is, but really, the odds are like 0.1%...

The doors swung open by themselves as they went in, and a sweet and warm aroma hit Silver the second he stepped in. He drew a breath, trailing after Espio, eyes going over the lights – soft, pastel-coloured – and the baked goods, layered cakes, cupcakes… lots of things Silver had no idea what they were, but looked delicious. Music came from a device in the corner, and Silver almost wanted to laugh – he _actually_ recognised this tune!

-It was absolutely ancient though.

Figures.

There were also lots and lots of signs and posters that Silver couldn't, once again, read. Not that he needed to _– what if Espio was an analphabet_? He thought with horror – but Espio only walked up to the counter calmly, which was watched over by a fennec fox busy arranging small pastries into a heart-shape.

Silver tried to appear like he belonged in this era, stepping closer to Espio, who said, to the cashier, "Hello." –Easy enough.

* * *

The cashier glanced up, plastering on a smile. "How can I help you, sir?"

"One latte, please," said Espio. And then he paused, glancing at Silver… Who was looking out the window, and quite obviously wasn't going to order, thus… "And one hot cocoa, with some… chocolate-chip cookies, thank you."

The fennec fox nodded. "Just a minute," he said, and turned around to begin tinkering with a coffee-maker, giving orders to another fox, rushing about to gather some things, taking out plates… Not really all that interesting, so Espio turned to Silver instead…

…Only that Silver wasn't there.

 **!**

-Though, fortunately, Espio spotted Silver again before he could really begin to question his abilities to sense people moving about. Silver had wandered away closer to the window, seemingly enchanted by the view, which really only consisted of a street… And Espio had promised to get some chaos drives for him… _Why_?

Why did he need chaos drives? For what? If it was that urgent – an injury, life or death – then anyone in their right mind would have called the hospital…

"Here's your order, sir," said the cashier then, cutting off Espio's trail of thoughts, "It'll be thirty rings."

Espio paid, took the tray, and went up to Silver. He repositioned his tray so that he supported it with only one arm, and used the free one to tap Silver on the shoulder, to which Silver jumped and spun around and – _oops_ , Espio forgot to deliberately make his walking heard and now _the_ _tray_ -

Was sort of hit. And there went the latte and the cocoa, partly sliding and partly flying off the tray but _then_ \- they stopped. And Espio quickly took held of the tray with both hands, the beverage just barely staying in their cups, and the cups amazingly enough staying put on the tray, almost like they slid just a little, little bit more toward the middle of the tray…

"Sorry, my bad," Silver said quickly. "I – _what is that stuff_?"

Espio could help it – he raised an eyebrow. "What are you referring to?"

"That!" Silver said, just as abstractly as his previous statement. And then he gestured to the cups. And Espio glanced down. And then a dawn of realisation and disbelief washed over him-

 _You've never had coffee?_ Espio almost blurts out incredulously, but manages at the last second to change it to, "Th-that's coffee." Pause. "And hot cocoa. Beverages… You drink it." ...Silver stares. Espio stares. The world laughs at their shared bewilderment. And then Espio exclaims, " _How far abroad_?"

* * *

It looked like mud! Like mud and water! It was a perfectly normal reaction!

* * *

Silver avoided the question. Espio noted this quietly, and found them a table, setting down the tray carefully. He slipped into a seat and Silver followed suit, expression somewhere between sheepish and nervous…

Yeah. He was having coffee with a virtual stranger, though that wasn't _that_ exciting in Espio's line of work.

It was the stranger in question who was strange. A bit. And he wanted chaos drives, which were getting stolen faster than they arrived… Ugh, Espio really should have started taking notes earlier today, and… _darn it_. He forgot to ask the receptionist at the hospital anything. Hell, he didn't even look around for anything suspicious, or look at the storage rooms, or interrogate any CE-healers… His progress rates were getting worse than _Charmy's_ on a bad day…

Well, time to get to work, then.

"So you wanted chaos drives," Espio says, cringing at how much he sounds like a drug dealer or something.

"Yeah," Silver says quickly. "It's – it's really urgent."

"So, assuming it's for medical purposes…" Silver nods. "…then why didn't you just call the hospital?"

"Uh…"

* * *

Because there's no hospitals in the future. Heck, there's not even any medicine! There's just – there isn't…There's just… _Green_. Old buildings laying like chipped and broken cups in the grass, vines climbing up the walls, branches reaching in through broken windows, glass splinters long buried underneath the moss and grass. Flowers invading. Armies of algae conquering the sea. A few travellers, half of them named Hope or some shit, ghosting around like lost souls, weaving in and out of the never-ending woods…

It was paradise. But it was such a fucking wasteland, with no civilisation left either.

-And ooh, Silver should just have brought a bleeding and dying Blaze with him to the past and _then_ called the hospital? 1) No phone. 2) Not very convenient to drag such a…injured… friend around either- 3) There _is_ such a thing as a hospital? _What_? 4) Again… culture frigging collision. No culture to speak of, versus… _gosh_ …

…He needed to get a grip.

* * *

Espio waited calmly for Silver's response, silently getting more and more suspicious… Though really? _Him_? A _Suspect_? Anyway…

"…I don't have a phone."

 _You could have borrowed one_ , Espio's thoughts chimed in. Maybe he just shouldn't pry into that for now… so,

"Okay," Espio said. And then he couldn't think of anything else to say, so took a gulp of coffee instead, which thankfully didn't burn his tongue. And Silver looked at him with such an incredulous expression, so Espio raised an eyebrow, and then Silver said,

"What's that beverage even _made_ of?"

…Uh. "Roasted coffee beans, and… milk?"

He made a face. "That sounds gross." Pause. "And this beverage?" –Silver motioned at his own cup, untouched. (Except for the small incident)

"The same as coffee? And some sugar, and…" Espio sighed. "I'm not a cook; you should ask the cashier."

Silver seemed to realise something else. "Wait – there's like…" Pause. Espio tried to stop his eyebrow from twitching up in a question. Again. And then Silver asks, "So what do you do?"

"…For work?" Nod, slightly too enthusiastic. (Should he tell?) (Well that really just boiled down to: Should I consider this 'Silver' character as a suspect or not?) (…No) "I'm a detective."

"Oh." Silver said simply. And then Espio asked,

"And you?"

"I'm… a traveller, I guess?"

 _A… traveller?_ "Oh?"

"Yeah…" Something like a small laugh. "You wouldn't believe me, if I told you all the places I've seen…"

"So how do you get money?" Espio asked, a genuinely curious question.

"Money? I… help people out? Though some places, money isn't really…

-It's not about getting money, it's about travelling. Or something… _Wait_.

Were you interrogating me?"

Espio also did something which could be considered a Small Laugh. "Isn't interrogating just a harsher word for 'getting to know a person'?"

-Silver gave him a questionable look. Espio wondered how bad that sentence had sounded. Their beverages were going cold. And it wasn't quite summer yet, but the people, everyone, was intoxicated with summer, sunshine, holidays… even though it was only May, still.

* * *

After an internal debate with himself, Espio had decided to ask ' _So where do you stay_?' while navigating the obstacle course that was Station Square main street once again. And Silver had, after awkward silence, admitted, ' _Nowhere_ '.

Nowhere.

…So now what? Should Espio leave Silver to fend for himself? Bring him to the office? Pay for him to stay at a hotel? No. He really wasn't going to pay for someone he had met as late as this afternoon. But to leave him by himself? …Yeah, _no_ … Jeez, when had Silver become Espio's responsibility anyway? –When he introduced himself at the hospital. This really was Espio's own fault, for having to go and… introduce himself? Make a promise?

…Though really, he could _not_ take Silver with him to the office. It just – _and_ hotels were out of question, but then…

" _I'm… a traveller, I guess"_

And Espio realised. Or remembered, really. The Chaotix usually were pretty quiet – not in _that_ sense of the word – normal – or as far as it went – unless Vector stumbled into trouble or emeralds came their way, or an interesting enough case called them… and _then_ there were the _situations_. The journeys. And the memories – held in a sort of glory and fondness, but considering to _actually_ do that _again_ …?

-Saving the world, he meant. Or _at least_ the country.

Anyway, point was – had been, before he started reminiscing – that when you were in the middle of something that great and big and urgent, then you didn't sleep. Or go to hotels. Or stop for anything. You just – here it comes – _travelled._

Espio preferred to observe, to carefully put information together, piece after piece, until he had enough evidence to prove someone guilty. To use and show off his skills to their full extent, invisible until suddenly, he would _strike_. With skill and flourish. Or maybe just with a calm sentence, a too good reply, an argument won with calm and quick words, with all the evidence needed, carefully gathered… It was a reliable method, which worked in 90% percent of the cases. But it was also a _slow_ method.

Vector, holding suspicions for himself, observing and noting and then landing one lucky guess after another, always noticing the smallest detail everyone else overlooked… It was fast. It was efficient, it was as awesome as in the movies, but Espio just didn't have that in him. Besides, that method only worked in 60% of the cases, compared to his 90% one…

Though _this_ time, it seemed like Vector's method would be the best way out… _If_ Silver even knew how to solve a case or have an adventure. Silver… didn't seem to have any street-smarts whatsoever, any idea how to manage in a city, grasp of money, culture… _anything_. Who had bruised knees, didn't know what coffee was, didn't know how the subway worked, didn't-

" _I'm… a traveller, I guess"_

…Ugh. Espio had already decided, anyway.

* * *

 _Later…_

It all glowed. Buildings, signs, large windows to stores, rows and rows of smaller windows going up into the black sky, lights on vehicles, phones, lamp-posts… And Silver had to look at it like he had seen it a dozen hundred times before, and not like it was his awe-stricken first time in a city. And pretend he wasn't alone. Without anywhere to go, and alone.

Espio didn't really count – not like Blaze had. _Had_. A lump in his throat – _she's still alive, of course she is-_

"We should get something for those bruises."

Silver looked up, almost startled by Espio's presence. Since he had been so quiet. And oh yeah, he had said something which was…

"Oh, it's not necessary," Silver quickly replied. He swallowed. And then he almost smiled, because he was distracted. "It's nothing."

Espio nodded. "Well then," he said, expression changing slightly, though Silver didn't catch what. They were walking, having done so for a while, though Espio had only asked him a single thing before then going quiet. Silver didn't know enough about detectives – and people in general – to know if he should just act normal, or be on his tip-toes around Espio… not that he had been relaxed for a single second since he got here.

-Or well, it had been better at the café. Talking always felt good.

And now Espio was quiet, and Silver didn't know what to say, and Blaze was back at home and bleeding and dying and-

"Have you ever," Espio then stopped his train of thoughts, "Been involved in an investigation?"

"…No?" Silver replied, thoughts retreating again. Espio just hummed as an answer, seemingly lost in thought as they then proceeded to a crossing. People crowded there, waiting for the green light as traffic thundered past. A sign was counting down from 22, 21, 20… and so on, and after a few seconds Silver realised that it must be counting down to green light.

Espio had sort of taught him to wait for that light, but mostly Silver had to draw his own conclusions. Of course. He didn't want to stick out, but there wasn't any traffic back in his time – he still wanted to flinch away from the sounds. The lights. The force, how the wind hit when a truck went past. He just tried to wait calmly like everyone else, and went across like everyone else, and then, on the other side of the street, he stopped and stood and waited…

…Where was Espio?

 _Not here_ , felt like a jolt and Silver looked around, trying to stay calm as he surveyed the street, the sidewalk, the sleeping vehicles, the people who _weren't_ Espio, the buildings…

…And he couldn't find him. Oh Iblis burn it all – he couldn't find Espio and now he _really_ was all alone and what if Espio had ditched him or maybe he had just taken a turn and stupid Silver _hadn't noticed_ -

 _There_

Relief felt like a stab when Silver spotted him, and Silver just rushed over to him where he came going around a corner across the street, looking around he too, but _then_ -

Then, he could feel that something was _wrong_ , feeling each of his footsteps like –

Everything was too loud but he could hear nothing.

 _Traffic_ – honking and shouting and – _lights_ – shit shit _shit_

Car, in front of him. Trucks, everywhere. Someone yelling

 _Silver! SILVER!_

Jerk. Step away. Back. Back. Away. Stop. Freeze. Concentrate. Stop. _Stop! STOP!_

A shudder went through Silver. Every disgusting and warm and exotic scent the city had, he could smell. His pulse was pounding in his ears, and he felt vaguely aware of how noisy it was, but not really hearing anything, because shit – where had all this traffic come from? All these vehicles? All this everything?

 _Stop_

Silver still held up his hand, another shudder going through his body as he started to back away. Cyan sparks jumped between his fingers, and the vehicles glowed eerily and so familiar, Silver almost stumbling and _why_ was everything closing in- he could literally see the _looks_ on their _faces_ as they sat there in their frozen contraptions and-

-and he turned and ran, letting go. Tires screeched and then there were more noise and screams and unknown _sound_ , but Silver was out of the way, away and away and his power flooded back, like flowers when they open again in daylight, and _away AWAY –_ he had to

He could hear his own breathing so loud. Someone shouted.

"SILVER!"

And he stopped, halting and spinning around, raising his hands as energy surged through him-

"Silver!"

Purple. Big, yellow thing. General I-am-rushing-towards-you-so-sit-tight.

 _Espio_.

* * *

The situation went from 'fuck fuck _FUCK'_ to 'what the fuck _WHAT'_ with just a snap of Silver's fingers, quite literally, and Espio had never shouted this much in a row in his whole _life_ \- (we are so not counting the 'Charmy and the Toaster Situation') (Or the time they almost died, and-)

" _Silver!_ "

Silver's head flew up so fast, hands following, moving just slightly like he was drawing in the air, like he was preparing for a fight, and sparks of cyan trailed after them, around them, and instinctively Espio tried – though his abilities weren't that good – to feel his chaos energy…

But found none. And just as shock hit him, Silver's eyes locked onto his, and then Espio realised that their eyes were the same colour: Striking gold… Also, Espio couldn't move. Literally. Risking a quick glance down and – blue sparks, eerie glow-

Dammit.

Espio took a deep breath, calming down. Now how was he going to- oh _wait_. He could move again.

His eyes quickly flew up again, just as Silver turned tail and ran – _again_.

"Silver!" Espio shouted after him, stumbling and catching himself. He cursed and broke into a run, chasing after Silver, not giving the street behind them a second glance…

-Where a truck had just ran off the street and into a building, windows cracking and cracking and sirens already wailing in the distance – someone swore that there had been a ghost here – glowing hedgehog – was that _Sonic_? – holy being – or something, while the people who were drawn there by disaster just stared – some in horror or shock, and then the ones who looked amused or curious. And no one really believed the rumours, which started spreading like wildfire, but everyone could see that there had been a car crash…

-Oh wait.

 _Two_ car crashes…

* * *

" _Silver_!"

A flash of white turning around a corner, footsteps thudding.

"SILVER!"

A trash can – no, two, _three_ – suddenly falling and clattering down on his path. Espio jumps.

"SILVER! _STOP_!"

Ah-ha. Espio knew this neighbourhood – buildings towering over you, trash can after trash can, a few damp, dark alleys ending in dead-ends, stray cats and grime.

" _Silver_!" He was panting. Goddammit – Espio was made for stealth, not for chasing…

Stumble. Clattering sounds. Espio slowed down, trying to get his breathing back under control.

"Silver…" Espio stumbled around the corner. A dead-end. Silver looked just as tired as him, glancing up at him quickly before raising his hands again and- " _Please_."

Espio aid quickly, and also held up a hand, breaths still coming too quick and shallow. Silver looked at him, hesitating, and _then_ Espio used his best trick. His best form of self-defence, attack, and means to impress people: his hand vanished, just like that, and then he too. _Invisibility_.

Silver's breathing hitched.

Three seconds passed. And then Espio turned back to normal, seemingly blinking back into existence.

He looked at Silver again, who had let his hands fall, and now raised one – instinctive tensing on Espio's part – to then rub his face tiredly against it. Espio relaxed slightly.

"…So _how_ far abroad, exactly?"

A smile just between 'we're all on drugs' and exasperated, and a twinkle of gold as Silver let his hand fall. "…I'll tell you later."

* * *

They just sat there, in that dirty, dark dead-end for a while, with their backs against a garbage bin. Their breathing gradually slowed down. Espio tried to just go over everything that happened and store it away somewhere in his mind, and he guessed Silver was doing something similar to that…

A plane flew by overhead, Espio noted absently.

Suddenly Silver let out a sort of giggle, startling Espio, and soon it turned into a sort of choking sound. Espio quickly glanced up to see if he was alright, but Silver just looked up into the darkness with an almost dazed look. And then he said, "Alright. Alright – I guess those ruins are discovered."

"…A proverb?" Espio guessed.

"Yeah. Oh _ughhh_ ," Silver moaned, rubbing his eyes. "I'm so tired. And look, powers are apparently totally normal here, so just – could we forget that this ever happened?"

"No," replied Espio. "I mean – you're unusual."

"Oh," said Silver simply. " _Fantastic_." …Whoa. Espio didn't think Silver knew about sarcasm.

"Your powers… They are unusual." _I've never seen anything like it. (_ Or had he…? He couldn't remember _)_

 _You don't even use chaos energy._

 _I can't even feel your energy._

Espio knew his chaos sense was bad, but not _this_ bad. In terms of chaos energy, Silver was a walking corpse. In terms of power though…

"What _was_ that?" Espio had to ask.

"Oh that," Silver said, sinking back against the bin. "It's just psychokinesis." His face flushed. "…Sorry."

" _No_ ," Espio replies. "It's I that have to apologise," he continues before Silver can interrupt. "I'm sorry for suspecting you, and for leaving you behind." _I'm sorry for almost getting you run over by a car_ "I'm sorry for wasting so much time."

Pause. Silver looks at him, and Espio stares back. "…So you're trying to salvage your honour?" Silver then says, looking amused.

"Oh yes," Espio replies, playing along. "Everything for one's honour."

"Everything," Silver agrees. He snorts. "So is this the point where you beg for forgiveness?"

"Ah, no. This is the point when we'll go to inspect the storage rooms of the hospital."

"…Wait, what?"

* * *

How much information was Espio willing to share? Almost everything about the case that he had so far. And Silver listened intently, and once Espio had finished – didn't take long – he said, "So that was why they were out of chaos drives."

"Yes," Espio replied, sneaking a glance at Silver to see his expression. – _Why_ did he want chaos drives so much? _Why_ didn't he just call the hospital? For _what_ did he need the chaos drives? Those questions kept tugging at Espio's attention, but he didn't see the need nor have the time to bring them up right now…

-And Silver didn't look upset, so Espio glanced away again.

"We should get going," he then stated, drawing himself to his feet nimbly. Silver murmured a ' _yeah'_ and pushed himself up from the ground he too, briefly using the garbage bin for support. Espio started to lead the way, Silver following quietly. He led them back the way they came, mostly recognising his surroundings, and taking a guess the few times he didn't, and soon, stores started to appear, glowing signs and cars and people, and then suddenly they were back at Main street, everything bright and colourful and normal just-

-no, _wait_.

Coming to a slow stop, just stopping to walk because now he had to stare, Espio then tried to comprehend what he was seeing.

Further down the street, a blockade had been made, police cars with blinking lights and people and cars slowing to a stop, confused. Signs telling you to leave were being put up, and tape to keep people away was being wound over the street by two officers. And… a car wreck. No, two, _three_ … A smashed storefront. A disaster which kept drawing people near.

…And then Espio saw exactly _where_ it had happened, realised exactly _what_ had happened-

"Is that…" Came Silver's voice the from behind him, Silver hesitantly stepping forward. He swallowed, and Espio prayed that he _wouldn't_ realise- "…What happened?"

"…An accident," Espio looks away. "Let's go."

He starts to walk away, assuming that Silver will follow… which he does _not_ , because Espio listens after his footsteps and hears nothing. Except that _then_ there's a sound, like Silver begins a sentence, a question, but stops before the words can come out and makes a choking sound instead. Which has Espio turning around and rushing up to him, just as Silver says,

"Smoke. There's… smoke is rising."

Espio is awfully quiet.

"What…" Silver begins but stops. And then he whirls around and demands, " _What_ _happened_? I kn-know I stopped those machines b-but _why is there smoke_?"

"I… I'm not sure, but I think some people driving those 'machines' must have… lost control of their vehicles, and crashed them." Said Espio, calmly, while praying that no one had died because- because _it was just an accident_. And surely several had already called the hospital so if anything had actually happ-

 _No_

It hits Espio like a bucket of slush.

If someone _was_ badly, badly injured, even if someone _had_ called the hospital, then the hospital _wouldn't_ be able to do a damn thing about it since _they had no chaos drives_ for emergencies. They could still use normal technology and medicines, _but those weren't a worth a shit compared to chaos drives_

 _And all chaos drives are missing_

And what was the detective assigned to the case doing? –Nothing. Nothing at all, and now Espio felt sick. Dammit – why was he so incompetent?

* * *

Silver could only guess what a 'car crash' would do to the people involved. But here they _had_ hospitals, and those other buildings where they sold medicine, and people able to help, and other resources and such.

It would probably be fine. Probably.

In any case, he was already stressed out enough about Blaze and time-travel and detectives and culture clashes, so maybe he could just ignore this. It was like, 1 am or something anyway, and – _he hadn't meant to cause this much destruction_

* * *

 _Later…_

It was with a sort of quiet, cold, burn of determination in his mind, at his heart, that Espio now led the way to the doors, which slid open neatly. He entered and Silver followed him, not asking anything or saying anything, just trailing after him…

* * *

-Because Espio, the detective who could turn invisible, was still Silver's best shot at saving Blaze. Or at even surviving in the past, for that matter… And they were sort of friendly (friends?) with each other, Silver assumed, since _well_ …

* * *

Anyway, going straight for the counter this time, since there was no one else there except for a couple who seemed to have fallen asleep on a sofa, Espio then ignores the human receptionist's ' _how can I help you sir_ ' and just shows his permission from GUN, which he carries around at all times since it's immensely useful.

And the receptionist blinks, looks at the card, pauses, and inquiries, "You work for GUN?"

" _No_ – I'm from Chaotix detective agency." (Ah, how much Vector hates to explain that)

"…Okay," says the receptionist after a moment. "Well, I… uh. Did you want to see anything or-?"

"The storage rooms," Espio cuts in swiftly. "If you could show us, then it would be most appreciated." _Us_. Yeah, Silver was part of the investigation now. How weird and unbelievable – but Espio would like to see more of Silver's strange powers, try to figure out just what was so strange with him… and, of course, Espio had promised to help him, and Espio wouldn't dare to go back on his word, that much self-respect he had…

"Um, well." The receptionist pauses again. And then she turns to shout at a coyote behind another counter ' _I'll be going away for a bit, Lynn, watch my counter please'_ and opens a drawer, takes out a bunch of keys, selects two, puts the rest away, and finally she turns to Espio again.

"Are you really sure you-"

"Yes."

The receptionist hesitates, so Espio says swiftly, " _No_ , this won't get you in trouble with your superiors, and _yes_ , this is a legitimate case assigned to me by GUN."

She blinks, opens her mouth, closes it, and says finally, "Fine. Okay, sir, just follow me and I'll take you there…"

And mentally Espio made notes, such as: could any of the receptionists be the culprit? Or be helping the culprits?

* * *

The corridor looked boring, white walls and bleak light, and had four doors, two on each side. When they got there – using one of the keys – the receptionist then stopped to ask, "Do you want to see all of them or-"

"Yes, please."

The first was dark, and when turning on the lights it still had nothing more interesting to reveal than a couple of boxes, two old beds without bedding and a nearly empty bookshelf.

The second room was small and crowded with cleaning equipment and empty boxes, mops and detergent and bottles, two vacuum cleaners almost falling out on them as the receptionist opened the door.

The third was much larger than the previous, with counters lining the walls, dusty sinks and rags spread out over the wood. The floor was tiled, and as if someone had cleaned it just recently. Three big boxes stood in the middle of the room, with a very recent delivery date – the receptionist said that it probably was the plastic glove delivery, and some new comforters.

The fourth one was apparently the one they still used frequently…

It was the largest of all three, white tiled floor going on and out and disappearing somewhere in the darkness. When the receptionist switched on the light, rows and rows and rows of shelves and cupboards became visible, the furniture building a small town before at last stopping at the far away wall. Silver looked surprised, and even Espio had to admit that the room was a pretty impressive size…

"It's the newest one," informed the receptionist. "We keep all spare equipment here, sir."

Espio nodded. "Would you mind showing us where you keep the chaos drives?"

"Not at all," replied the receptionist politely, and led the way to the back of the room. They walked past a seemingly endless number of shelves and boxes, all neatly marked and stacked, and at last they reached three vey empty metal cupboards with glass doors. A sign to the side with glowing blue letters informed them about the obvious: _zero chaos drives in storage_

… _What a surprise!_

"Okay, thank you," said Espio, looking over his surroundings. A door, more boxes… another door. Lots of places to disappear… And no cameras. Typical… _though_ , "Is there any way to enter this room without a key?"

"No, sir," answered the receptionist. And then she blinked, and exclaimed, "Wait, you're not accusing _me_ of anything are you?"

"No, ma'am, I just asked."

And Silver, who had been quiet so far, now piped up with, "And it's not that hard to steal a key, right?"

…"Are there any cameras in the lobby?" begins Espio, possibilities raining down. "No, forget that – who all have keys to the storage rooms? Where are their keys kept?"

"How difficult is it to break in without a key?" offers Silver. "How many keys-"

"-are there? In total?" finishes Espio. Both mobians look at expectantly at the receptionist who, once again, blinks.

"I… Uh. Yeah, there's a few cameras in the lobby… I don't know how many keys there is, but most of the staff have one, or knows where to borrow one…" Pause. Sigh. "And I don't know how to break in here, since I've never tried to... sir."

 _Too many keys to get any clues…_ "Could I get a list of all the people who uses the chaos drives in their work?"

"I… wait, everyone?"

Espio nods, and Silver lingers behind him wordlessly. The receptionist sighs.

"Well, there's the ambulance drivers and workers, the CE-healers, the surgeons, the assistants, those healers from GUN, the ones working in emergencies…" she trails off, and it's silent for a moment.

And then Silver comments, "That's a lot of people?"

Yeah.

* * *

And GUN had already checked for any evidence at the crime scene, like fingerprints or whatever, but they had found nothing… as Espio had already explained to Vector…

* * *

 _There's no stars_ , Silver thought when looking up, past all the thousands and thousands of windows and into the smoky blackness. There was a breeze, and foreign smells, and so, so many lights on the buildings and vehicles. There was so much people, even though it was night. There was almost no plants, no trees or grass… there were so many buildings and structures. Sleek, polished or dirty, windows and glass or concrete, everything artificial…

-And then suddenly he walked into someone, who of course was Espio, and they both stumbled forward, Silver instinctively shooting out a hand and focusing, managing to catch himself, Espio doing some sort of weird looking step to avoid falling.

"Uh, what?" said Silver as he straightened himself up.

Espio shrugged, and turned around to sit down on a bench that Silver hadn't noticed. Looking around now, Silver could spot some shabby grass, a lamp-post with the bench beneath it, and a nearly empty street. The buildings were really small out here, and Silver could even spot a tree behind a chain-link fence…

The harsh yellow light coming from above painted everything in sharp shadows, and softer colours washed into yellow, fading to orange. There were trash scattered over the sorry excuse for grass, and garbage bins tucked into corners, a rusting vehicle leaning against a fence. Barely there breeze smelling of smoke, and something disgusting, and something sharp and perfume and other man-made scents, blew into Silver's face as he turned the other way, and a single, almost angry thought snuck into his mind; _why did they turn the past into something so vile?_

…Though what he missed the most was, of course, _Blaze_. Wise and nimble Blaze, who always knew what to do, and

 _Go. It'll be fine_

Panic, panic, panic, his hands were shaking so bad-

 _Go, Silver_

No, no, no. The emerald – her blood – he couldn't-

 _Go!_

 _Silver!_

" _Silver!_ "

"Silver!" And he spun around, hands flying up, mind reaching to grab for the nearest thing which was a – a… an… uh…

"Silver?" Said someone, and then Silver's eyes caught up and-

"…Espio?"

The chameleon nodded, stepping closer – since when was he standing anyway? – looking concerned. "Are you alright?"

"…Yes?" Silver lets his hands fall, ears starting to turn red. "I'm fine."

Espio nodded, and sat down, and that could have been it, the end of the discussion, but instead Silver chose to say quietly, "I need the chaos drives for a friend."

And Espio looked up, calm and almost expressionless as usual, and said, just as quietly as Silver, "You didn't need to tell me."

"Or well, I thought you were going to keep it secret for at least two days more." And Silver's lips twitched up at that, as he absently realised that _yes_ , it had only been one day in the past so far…

And he sank down to sit on the bench with Espio, the detective turning his phone just slightly more to Silver's side so that he could see, beginning to then summon up pages of unreadable text for him to see… But well, Silver hadn't exactly told Espio that he couldn't read anything here…

* * *

Eventually Silver dozed off, slouching against the back of the bench with his head lolling to the side.

Espio got tired just by looking at him.

And that was why he had resolved not to look at him.

And to instead mindlessly scroll pages up and down, in particular the Station Square Main Hospital's website, and some other sites… Though really, he was just prolonging the inevitable. A sigh. Damn, Espio was disappointed in himself – he had got information today, sure, but the only direction _that_ pointed him in, was to the land of 'this case is still no closer to being solved'…

Though he really had to call Vector, before his boss started to put up 'Missing' signs or something…

So he did. Several beeps passed – what time was it? …More beeps passed… And some more…

…"Chaotix detective agency, and _do you have any idea what time it is_?!"

"…Hi Vector," answered Espio, almost shocked at the fact that he actually answered.

"Espio!" shouted Vector, at once sounding much happier. "Where the hell did you disappear to?"

…"Just walking around the city."

" _This_ late?"

"…It may have gotten later than I realised."

"Damn straight! It's…" Pause. Shuffle. "-it's THREE THIRTY-TWO AM!"

"Again, I didn't plan to be out this late."

"Well, duh." Pause. "…Oh yeah! How's the case going?"

"…Sort of." Espio stared out into the night, Silver giving a faint snore beside him. "…Well, I'll call you back later."

"Hey! I was-" _click_.

* * *

When Silver was shook awake, his head hurt and his mouth tasted metallic and salty, the world seeming as if it was encased in cotton…

* * *

 _Later…_

In the end, Espio got them both to a hotel. It was four am when they got there – Travelers Hotel – but thankfully they had empty rooms there. After a bit of annoying talk about keys and checking in and checking out and – _yes, I have a credit card_ – and no thanks, no breakfast, two beds, yeah, no, no luggage, _yes, I do still have a credit card-_

-then they _finally_ got to their room, and Espio didn't even bother switching on the lights, just closing the door after Silver and collapsing on one of the beds, since the hotel also very thankfully _had_ empty rooms with two beds, so that this night wouldn't have turned into some clichéd bed-sharing like in those horrible TV shows that Vector sometimes watched – though admittedly, the one with the spy _had_ been pretty cool…

Espio rolled over on his side, closing his eyes and tugging the quilt over him. Silver's footsteps sounded so far away, barely so that Espio noticed them… or cared, for that matter… and _then_ Silver spoke, shattering the peace with, "So if you were a shadier person, then this is when you would've killed me, right?"

… _What_? Said Espio's sleep-addled brain. "…Maybe. Yes, probably."

"Okay," said Silver. "Okay…"

Espio waited a moment, but when Silver said nothing more, he decided to succumb to his exhaustion… After drawing a kunai and subtly slipping it under his pillow, that is…

* * *

They ended up staying the whole day at the hotel, Espio thinking and researching, writing notes and planning, occasionally calling Vector or watching TV. Vector didn't ask why Espio didn't just return to the office, but then again, Espio didn't tell him that he was staying at a hotel. And he didn't tell him about Silver either. Silver, who sat around the room, watched TV, and disappeared and returned so frequently that Espio decided to just give him the key to spare them both the trouble…

And yeah, maybe Espio was getting a bit irritated about this case… He really _shouldn't_ have this hard of a time figuring things out, but now he couldn't even come up with an idea on how to catch the culprit…

Except for…

Well, meh.

* * *

 _Restless, restless, restless…_

* * *

The day after that Espio checked out from the hotel, and then he, and Silver, always following, proceeded to the hospital. He only came there to ask when the next delivery of chaos drives would be, and they told him it would be in three days. _Three days._

-Espio still couldn't come up with anything good, or any plan he could use before the chaos drives were delivered. His thoughts went to Silver too often, because Silver kept so many secrets, and Espio might as well try and figure him out, with nothing better to do, since all useful parts of his brain weren't doing a shit.

…He brought them to another café, this one a modern, polished thing at the bottom of a skyscraper, everything going in blacks and whites. It was the quiet part of an afternoon, and there weren't many customers.

Since Silver had been so repulsed by the hot cocoa – he didn't even try it – Espio now bought him a strawberry milkshake and an apple, choosing a latte for himself – _he had been through many, many lattes since this case begun._

He picked a table near the panorama window, and Silver sat down next to him, silently. Sneaking a glance at Silver, Espio was surprised to see how… uninterested? Tired? _Sad_? Silver looked…

" _I need the chaos drives for a friend."_

-He had to hurry things up. But _oh_ , he couldn't actually do anything before the delivery arrived – and he was so worked up about this, because it concerned Silver _personally_ , and he had _promised_ Silver to help him ASAP and time was just _dripping away_ like the rain outside, _pointless_ and _dull_ and- three days still, so he just had to wait…

 _Patience is a virtue_

Espio released a breath. Took another. Released.

 _You're a detective. Patience, observation and finesse is everything._

Espio turned to Silver, who used his straw to swirl around in his milkshake. His hairstyle was quite odd, Espio thought. Of course he had noticed it before, but he had been sort of busy with other things to _really_ notice… quills standing up oddly, hiding his ears, with two longer going down his back… (Actually, it fit him)

White fur. The colour of innocence. Or death, depending on which culture you picked…

He didn't have an accent. Or… well, there was a faint sort of lingering on certain letters, a lightness to some others, but Espio couldn't place exactly _what_ it was for the life of him.

" _I'm… a traveller, I guess"_

"…Does now count as later?"

Silver looked up, looking confused. "Uh, what?"

"You said you'd tell me about where you're from later. Remember?"

"Oh… yeah…" Silver looked away, glancing out through the window. "It's… Do you know about the Chaos emeralds?"

…One single sentence, and _now_ Espio understood everything. _The fucking Chaos emeralds_. Silver could be from another galaxy if he had used them, or an alternate dimension, or – _anything was possible._ He could be a 4000 year old alien hedgehog from a parallel dimension who worked in a retail selling wands and tarot cards, for all Espio knew…

"Yeah, I know about them."

"Oh, good…" Silver was still looking away, so Espio decided to look at him. "It's… I… you'll never believe me," he said, and suddenly he turned to look at Espio, golden eyes so intense…

"Try me," replies Espio, just one beat too late. "I'm a _detective_. I've seen some weird things in my life." –saying that and sounding like he actually was any older than sixteen, but hey, everyone assumed he was an adult, so no one bothered him about age restrictions.

Anyway, Silver gives him a look, and Espio stares back, and then Silver says, "I'm from the future."

 _The future_. Espio… hadn't known you could travel through time with the emeralds. This… wow.

* * *

 _This is when he laughs at you_ , insisted some part of Silver, while another shouted, _you've fucking spilled all the beans you ever had_. Okay, really, what had Silver to lose?

1\. His dignity

2\. A chance to get chaos drives

3\. A friend

…Well, he can't take back his words, so from this point forward it's really just ride or die, right?

Espio looks taken aback, and Silver waits for him to say something. And when it finally comes, calm as always, it's an, "I believe you." And then Espio almost smiles. "So that's why you didn't know what cocoa was, or cars, or anything."

And Silver smiles, grins, snorts, giggles, laughs…

"Yeah. That's – I can't even read the letters here."

So now he still had:

1\. His dignity - intact

2\. A chance to get chaos drives

3\. And a friend


	2. II

**II**

 **.**

One day later, with two days left until The Delivery, Espio and Silver had been skulking around the hospital again. Just because, that if Espio now decided to use that terrible plan – basically just wait until the culprits showed up, hiding behind a few boxes – then he would have to know the place better… and so would Silver.

They were a team now. There was the Chaotix, and then there was Espio and Silver.

And they were separate only because Espio never found the time – nor need – to tell Vector about Silver, or Silver about Vector and Charmy.

… _But maybe I should_

* * *

Music, people – _"Amber you won't believe this-"_ – chatter, voices blurring together… smoke, screeching vehicles, too much people, too little life, trash and grime, alcohol, something else that's awful, something else that's foreign, colours and concrete… too much people, too little getting done…

A sky without stars

"Get us somewhere else," Silver decides, and Espio snorts and sort of smiles at that. And then he seems to think, before saying,

"…Another café?"

Silver sighs almost extravagantly, but agrees.

* * *

This time the café is a large place, a two storey building with flowers, and lanterns on strings, and a sea of tables with parasols before you reach the doors. Silver sticks close to Espio as he makes his way up to the counter, through dim lighting across creaking wooden floors, the whole place having a sort of… old feel to it. Like people used to live here, but then someone came along and turned it into a café…

Though they _did_ walk for a long time to get here, so long that all the tall buildings melted away, and gardens started to poke out, all fences and quiet streets.

The cashier, a rabbit in an apron who was making small talk with a co-worker, looks up and greets them with a cheerful, "Hello sir! How can I help you?"

"We'd like a table, if there's any available," says Espio, and Silver leaves it to him.

"Certainly!" she turns to the co-worker, who quickly makes her way around the counter. She smiles and shows them to a table enthusiastically, before disappearing again. It's a table for four put in a corner, shadows and curtains making it cosier than Silver thought it would have been. There's flowers on the table, and two… notebooks?

Whatever. Espio sits down, and so does Silver.

 _There's only one night like this~_ insists a song, the tune slithering through the café, coming from an unidentifiable source somewhere deeper in…

Espio picks up one of the notebooks, and flips it open almost gracefully. "So what do you want?" he then asks.

 _Chaos drives, CHAOS DRIVES_ "Whatever you're having."

Espio nods. "Okay, I'll go order," he says, stands up, and leaves, just disappears behind a curtain, and then Silver's alone. He panics briefly, but then he focuses on the flowers instead – they could use some water…

 _So let's make this night unforgettable~_ sings the music…

(…and Silver can't recognise the song)

* * *

It's half-way through his slice of cake – white frosting, strawberries and delicate patterns of chocolate painted on it – that Espio comes to the realisation: since you apparently can travel through time with the emeralds, then so many things Espio thought impossible before… well. Anyway, this idea concerns Silver, so of course Espio is going to voice it…

He puts down his fork, saying, "Silver?"

Silver looks up, quirking an eyebrow and putting down his silverware. "Yeah?"

Espio breathes. "If you're able to… travel through time, then why didn't you just… travel back to _before_ your friend was injured, and make sure that they don't get hurt?" As soon as he says that, another thought hits him: what if it's an illness that has been destroying them for a long time? And if Silver couldn't have done anything to help them even if he _did_ travel back just a few days?

He looks at Silver. And Silver, he looks so shocked… and then so _amazed_ , that there's practically stars in the air around him- "Wow. Iblis I – shit. Shit, why haven't I- _shit_!"

He quickly stands up from the table, eyes still wide. He makes a motion as if to take out an emerald… but he doesn't have an emerald. He frowns, and Espio's eyes widen – so _that's_ why he really didn't have any chaos energy back then-

Silver tries again, and again, but then horror dawns over him.

" _No_ ," he breathes. "This is-" he curses, and flops down, and rubs his eyes, before declaring, "Shit. If I d-don't have an emerald, then there's no way for me to return to my time…" He grinds the heels of his palms into his eyes and groans. "I'm trapped here, I'm t-trapped here, a-a-and _Blaze_ …"

Espio, who had been sitting mostly still, reaches out and pats Silver's shoulder. He then tries to find anything comforting to say, (even though guiltily, guiltily, deep inside, he's happy that Silver will stay for a bit longer) "There's seven Chaos emeralds. You _will_ get back."

A shaky breath released. "Yeah. You're right." And Silver let his hands fall, looking optimistic again.

* * *

The next day, Espio decides to teach Silver how to play chess. They slept at another hotel, and then Espio borrowed the board and pieces from the lobby…

Silver doesn't know how to play, but catches on fairly quick when Espio explains.

Espio wins three times in a row. And then he lets Silver win once.

(Silver keeps misplacing his Knight and Espio has to correct him)

* * *

And finally, the day of The Delivery comes…

Having stayed at another hotel – soon Espio will have no money left – they wake up early. Silver keeps fussing about the room, filled with a restless energy, while Espio looks over his weapons to see that they're all in perfect shape. Which they are, since Espio prides himself on keeping his inventory faultlessly polished and ready to use.

At breakfast – fruits for both of them. And _latte_ , what did you expect? – Silver keeps using his powers. Espio can't really prove anything, but an odd twitch of a glass, a napkin suddenly fluttering up, a clementine which _should_ have rolled off the table suddenly stopping…

They check out, and set off towards the hospital. One half of the sky is lovely blue, sunshine and not a cloud in sight… while the _other_ half is covered in clouds so dark and ominous that all the people are rushing about while throwing cautious glances upward, half of them cradling umbrellas.

Espio almost dashes up the last of the steps to the doors, Silver following just as excitedly.

Maybe this case could have been solved so much quicker if GUN had done it. But since there was a possibility of GUN employees being the actual culprits, then they couldn't really help…

He walks up to the counter, Silver following.

"Could I buy some chaos drives?" he asks, because it's for Silver, and because he has to check if they have arrived yet.

"I'm afraid we're out of chaos drives, sir," answers the receptionist apologetically, an owl this time.

Espio hums, and asks, "So when will they arrive?"

"…Two hours ago, sir," says the owl. "They _should_ have arrived."

"Did the transport get delayed?"

The owl gave him a look, which pointedly said ' _would you mind?_ ' "We don't know, since they haven't called."

 _Since they haven't called…_ "Do they usually call if it gets delayed?"

"Yes, sir."

"What's their travel route?"

The owl gave him another look. "I'm afraid I can't tell-" Espio showed his card. The owl frowned, but said, "The transport usually comes from Central city, using the motorway."

"Okay. Could you describe what the transport vehicle looks like?"

The owl stared. "…A truck, yellow and orange, has the CE logo on it… some text in Shamarian, and a picture of two chaos drives…"

"Okay, thank you." Espio stepped away from the counter, and Silver said,

" _Wait_ – you're not planning to-"

"-go after the transport? Most certainly."

* * *

…In other news, neither of them had a driving license.

…Though that didn't stop them from getting Extreme gears.

* * *

"Tilt it a little – yes, _yes_ , no, _no, NO-"_

Silver's gear slid away from him, the hedgehog stumbling and falling as the gear shot away out from under him, diving down the alley and into a wall, where it - _bang_

Espio began walking over to him, but Silver quickly got up on his own. He shook his head, quills swaying, and sent a glare at his Extreme gear, where it had slid up against a trash can. Espio really was going to run out of money soon, but at least the gears had been good quality. –Or so he thought.

Though Espio's sleek, violet board worked perfectly fine – it was just a matter of technique, a matter of getting the right angle, leaning just a bit…

…Meanwhile, Silver's blue Extreme gear leapt up from the ground and flew into Silver's outstretched hand, blue sparks trailing after it. And no sooner had Silver received it did he slam it back down on the ground, standing up on it and kicking off, the engine waking up and keeping him afloat.

And then Silver raised a hand, cyan light suddenly setting his gear on fire, a steady blue glow snaking its way up his legs-

-and then he _blasted away_

Espio let out a sound of surprise, wind slapping him in the face. He looked after Silver, who had shot like a blue-white streak through the alley, going _straight for the wall_ -

…and stopping, just an inch from collision. Memories of the car crash resurfaced, and Espio leapt on his board, chasing after Silver up to the wall, but not _nearly_ as fast as he had been, the slowing to a halt not even half as dramatic. Silver looked up, looking almost surprised, still keeping a hand out even as he said, "This isn't so difficult after all!"

-Espio was tempted to say, _you're doing it wrong_ , but technically… Well, Silver was floating, his Extreme gear was working, and he could control it, which were the three things that counted. And also – Silver looked cute when he was excited, so Espio kept quiet. Or well, mostly, because he still had to say, "Let's get going then."

"Yeah," agrees Silver.

And then they both picked a position, whizzing out of the alley on their boards…

Espio quickly took the lead, because he had to lead the way. Also, he wanted to silently think about _exactly_ how bad this idea was. –Though they were already doing it. _Too late_.

The transport was probably fine anyway. Though Espio had a feeling that 'something' had happened to it, so they might as well hurry up and see if they could catch it… while simultaneously coming from the opposite direction. – _Really_ , he should have thought this through more…

Buildings whizzed past. They raced through a park, swerving for children and couples and dogs and vendors, Silver doing it with such an otherworldly grace – because it _was_ otherworldly, doing impossible turns by using his powers, stopping mid-air and accelerating faster than Extreme gears were built to go…

Espio was impressed. Espio strived for _perfection_ , to master his skills, to be able to do justice, to be able to _destroy_ people intent on hurting others… And Silver might have been cheating a bit, using his powers like that… but _Chaos_ , was he good at this.

The suburbs went past like a blur, following narrow, sun-kissed streets lined with picket-fences and a thousand houses, all completely similar save for one detail here or there. The motorway should be right… _here_ , and Espio turned sharply, his board whizzing past a stretch of nothing and grass, and up onto the motorway-

Cars and trucks thundered past, and Espio picked a line and dashed into it, throwing a glance over his shoulder to see-

-Silver, coming zig-zagging after him, expression between delight and panic as he speeded up, swerving for cars and trucks and even bigger trucks, always holding up a hand, cyan glow like a tail after him- and Espio's eyes snapped back to the road in front of him, the chameleon crouching down and flying forward with a burst of speed…

(Flying Extreme gear on the motorway wasn't really illegal… Though it wasn't approved of either.)

(Translation: Espio hoped there weren't any officers out here today)

* * *

He contemplated letting go off the gear with his mind, but then he always had second thoughts and continued to fly, using his powers like a crutch…

Look at Espio. He's flying on his own, no tricks or help, just him and his gear. And to Silver it's all so familiar – follow the lead. Blaze was in the future, bleeding, dying, alone… trapped in between time, suspended until Silver got there. Or Silver could just travel a little bit _farther_ , and she would never even have gotten hurt…

…travel a little bit farther, and he would never even have met Espio.

…travel a little bit farther, and Blaze would be fine but Silver would have had no reason at all to travel through time to the past and meet Espio, and all the events would be _erased_.

Something aches, deep within, and Silver speeds up again and again, leaping, twisting, turning, swerving, flying, soaring, gliding. There's vehicles everywhere; it's a moving obstacle course of enormous blocks and unyielding pavement, and at first Silver doesn't care… but _then_ anxiety catches up – too fast, too much, what if one vehicle just slides to the side unexpectedly?

-And then he realises how _good_ it's going, how the board doesn't falter and how _easy_ it really is to dodge, and he grins. He grins and shoots after Espio, soon going to overtake him, the wind not beating against him but _parting_ for him…

…And then there's a _car_. Another goddamn vehicle, just suddenly driving to the side, and now Silver has to dive to the side-

 _Vehicle_

Suddenly zooming past him, just barely not-hitting him, and Silver flinches back, stumbling, concentration _shattering_ …

…and leaving him and his board without _anything_ at all stopping him from spiralling away into traffic, getting _smashed_ into, _crash_ over the fence or get _hit_ by a truck or – _and Silver cannot control his Extreme gear._

Ice cold fear – _who's gonna help Blaze if I_ – another second of panic, and then he just leans to the side instinctively and _then_ his gear starts tilting and _tilting_ and _now_ they're both swooping to the side without any semblance of control, Silver very much panicking and his gear very much about to _fall over and start rolling over the ground and shit shit shit-_

He's throwing out his hands, tires are screeching and cars honking, the pavement swaying and coming closer, _closer_ , the wind now a merciless force pushing against him-

A sudden idea.

His Extreme gear going with full speed right across the motorway, people in their vehicles standing on their brakes, cars halting with clouds of dust and tires squealing, trucks trying to stop, turning and sliding _and_ -

-and Silver flew off the motorway.

No sound, no thoughts. Just air and air and air and him clinging to his gear with one hand, the other up in the air as if to keep his non-existent balance, wind rushing past his face, an almost strange calm blowing through…

-and then reality caught up.

He screamed, because the motorway was built on a hill like, _oh_ , ten metres above a forest, which was rushing toward his face as his gear just dived and dived- and he had three seconds before hitting the ground, with a single thought rushing through his head; _Sometimes it's just worth it!_

 _Well_ _ **not**_ _if I-_

He screamed some more.

* * *

Espio heard the first scream, already turning his Extreme gear around. And then the _second_ came, and he shot forward without any regards to _anything_ -

* * *

" _SILVER_!" soared another scream over his head, and Silver just tilted his gear, branches hitting him as he turned and dived and-

More screaming.

- _Well,_ _ **someone's**_ _having a field day with this_.

He crashed through the leaves, branches, twigs, splinters cutting up his arms and- he grabbed his gear, leaning, tilting, _anything_ to the side- his gear turning up again and _shooting away like he-didn't-know-what,_ narrowly avoiding the ground and flying up, up and branches, _branches-!_

He ducked, crouching on his board, throwing out his arms and willing it to _stop_ , just fucking _stop_ -

" _SILVER_!"

-His Extreme gear shuddering and hitching away to the side, Silver stumbling and falling _and_ -

-catching himself mid-air, blue glow exploding out like a firework, the will to stop so strong that he's frozen himself in the air, his Extreme gear flying without control into tree after tree, if the loud thuds and bangs were anything to go after…

…and Silver let out his breath, pulse beating like a drumroll.

-And that's when Espio came crashing down through the canopy like an avenging angel.

Silver choked on air, pulse jumping through the roof again with cyan sparks shooting away into the woods. Espio crashed down, flying his Extreme gear down but then just _leaping_ off of it and out into the air, eyes darting around the trunks and branches and deserted gear flying loose _and_ -

"Silver!" he shouts, and lands, rolling on the ground to soften the fall – Silver's used that move before – and then he just springs up and runs toward Silver, who lets one word ring clear in his mind: _DOWN_

And his powers listens and obeys, energy breaking away with a snap, Silver stumbling and getting on his feet, looking up just in time as Espio reaches him and _hugs him_. Tightly, they both pressed chest to chest, just for a few seconds… and then Espio quickly releases him, stepping back.

"Chaos!" he exclaims. "I – you – what-" he cuts off his own sentence, pressing a palm to his face while muttering curse words. Silver stands paralysed for a few seconds – Espio? Physical contact? – but then he jerks awake, and says,

"So I guess that was a perfect example of how _not_ to do things?"

Espio just looks at him, exasperatedly, and then Silver just loses it. Laughter bubbles up and out, and he tries to stifle it with a hand but then Espio gives him _another_ look, and he's just laughing and laughing-

"Shit," he's saying next, through panting and stifled giggling, trying to come to his senses. Espio gives him another _look_ , but Silver _knows_ he was grinning too, earlier. And also- "That Extreme gear can lay here and rot; let's get out of here."

Espio quirks an eyebrow – _you're taking charge?_ – and Silver grins, excitement making his steps light and his demeanour bold as he then steps up… and _up_ , walking on air. Espio's eyes widen, and Silver laughs again, walks a few steps, cyan glow surrounding his form as he stands on nothing.

"You," begins Espio. "You – you're flying."

"Yes!" exclaims Silver. And then… _shit_. His unoccupied hand flies up to his nose, and there's –

* * *

Espio barely has time to wonder what has happened, because almost as soon as Silver's hand goes to his nose, the hedgehog falters, there's a crackle of cyan, and then he _falls_ -

And Espio reacts quickly-

-and next thing happening, is Espio trying hard not to stumble backwards as he catches Silver, the hedgehog letting out something between a yelp and a gasp, both hands flying to grab something-

-and down they inevitably go, thudding hard against the ground, Espio landing on his back with a hiss and a wince, Silver landing on top of him, still grabbing Espio's arm tight enough to bruise with one hand, the other waving in the air, probably trying to summon something. Which doesn't come fast enough, Espio thinks, groaning a bit.

And then Silver stares down at him, words spilling out of his mouth, "Sorry! Sorry – are you alright, I didn't-"

"Silver," Espio interrupts quickly, staring at him. To which Silver stares back, quickly getting out a,

"Espio?"

"Your nose is _bleeding_."

"Ah," says Silver. Espio stares. There's blood gushing out, and Silver quickly brings his waving hand up to his nose, covering it. And Espio's eyes dart to the hand still grabbing his arm so tightly… while leaving a bloody mark. So. Nose bleeding. Powers suddenly faltering. _After_ showing off a… incredible trick, and falling off the road. And of all that pointed a lot of dubious arrows to: _Silver is straining himself and thus exhausted_ -

Is Espio worried? Maybe. _Yes_. "Don't strain yourself," he warns. "You… be a little more careful."

"I…" Silver begins, words muffled by his hand, but goes quiet. "…Sorry."

Espio sighs. A drop of red falls from the back of Silver's hand, and Espio decides it's time to move. He attempts to sit up, and Silver quickly realises and scrambles to his feet. He then tries to give Espio his hand, but they both see how it's dripping with scarlet, and so he withdraws it. Espio stands up on his own, back throbbing a bit, but that pales in comparison to Silver.

He looks small. He looks… hurt. There's blood trickling from his nose, but he doesn't wipe it away, and it dribbles down to his mouth…

"…I was just worried," says Espio then, and Silver looks up, confused. "You… Your powers are incredible, but… just don't get yourself hurt."

Silver stares. Blinks. And smiles.

-And then they proceed to somehow get back up to the motorway. Espio tracks down Silver's board, discovers that it's broken, and, like Silver said, leaves it to rot for now. Maybe he can come back later and clean it up… _later_ , huh. Actually, weren't they getting pretty late with the whole 'trying to track down the truck'-plan?

A twig snaps, and Espio turns around to see Silver come walking, stumbling, after him. Silver smiles a quick little smile, and then he discovers the Extreme gear. "Well," he says with a frown. And then he looks past the gear, past Espio, and says, with a much more impressed voice, "Whoa."

To which Espio of course turns around to look he too.

And discovers a truck, just… parked there in the woods.

A very yellowish, orange truck with the curving language of Shamar written on it, an obnoxious logo proclaiming CE staring out at them both from the foliage…

"Whoa," Silver says again, and Espio agrees silently.

* * *

That was the truck they were looking for, right? _Right?_ –Though why in the world was it stopped-

"Let's take a look, shall we?"

-here?

And Silver murmurs an incredulous, "Yeah," in response…

They trek over to it, through some bushes and past a few trees, Silver pressing a hand to his nose all the while. Espio just looked at the truck, thinking _again_ , and then they both emerged from the greenery and up onto an old road. An old dirt road – well, more like path really – almost completely overgrown by moss and grass, ancient car tracks disappearing somewhere in the shadows and woods…

And then there was the truck, of course.

They crept closer. Silver held up his other hand, _just in case_ , and Espio took the lead like always. The doors were unlocked, and when exploring the front seats they couldn't find the keys, just some trash and fast-food leftovers. And some receipts, one which date was yesterday, as Espio noted out loud…

They proceeded to the back of the truck.

Espio took a look at it, made a sort of humming noise, and stepped forward to press on a button. Silver tried to stay alert, but then the back of the truck just lowered, and he realised that it was a _door_ , and _now_ he got curious, also stepping closer – and then there was a noise, like-

"Who the hell are you?"

"I could ask you the same thing," replies Espio like the line was rehearsed, taking a step back. Silver raised an eyebrow, stepping back he too, and _then_ a _person_ emerged from the truck, from the darkness behind the lowered door…

Was that a weapon?

"You were the guys following me?" says the person, an unreasonably tall wolf in a long white coat, sleeves swishing this way and that as he pointed that metallic thing at first Espio, then Silver, and then back at Espio. Silver just wished he knew what was going on.

"Yes," answers Espio, ever so calmly. "Could you lower that gun now?"

The wolf snorts. "Lower the gun? Who do you think-"

-and that's when Silver snatches the 'gun' away from his hand with a flick of the wrist, grabbing it with his mind and hurling it away into the woods.

…For about three seconds, Espio and the wolf just stared after where it disappeared, Silver wiping at his nose again while absently praying that the 'gun' wouldn't suddenly explode or something…

"Well," Espio says at last, turning back to the wolf. "Mind telling us how the transport-truck ended up here?"

The wolf was still giving the forest wide-eyed stares, before his eyes darted back to Espio. "Wh-what – how – there's no way-!" He stammered, and Silver felt almost gleeful at his bewilderment. The wolf mumbled something, looked at his hand, back at the forest, and then suddenly Espio was holding a knife, pointing it at the wolf.

"Well?"

The wolf looked so freaked out, eyes darting around, and then he suddenly just _lunged_ at Espio. And Silver yelped - stumbling backwards, and then rushing forwards because the wolf and Espio went down to the ground, kicking and trashing and cursing and-

-and then there was a shriek, or yelp, and Silver just waved his hands around in a frenzy because what the fuck – and then Espio shoved the wolf to the side, who whimpered, pressing a hand to-

" _Shit_ ," breathes Silver. "You stabbed him!"

-and then the wolf leapt up again, throwing himself at Espio, who rolled away to the side, and Silver quickly stepped back, hand shooting up and grabbing at the wolf-

-who slammed a feet into Silver's legs with the last of his control, and Silver's focus made a quick retreat, the hedgehog letting out a yelp and a string of curses, _falling_ \- …and then he got a punch to, of all blasted things, his _nose_.

 _Aggghhhhh_

He fumbled with a hand, covering his nose – not that it did much – groaning as he quickly pushed himself up with his other hand, willing his head to _please just stop spinning_

Growling, hissing, cursing, another scream-

Silver got up on his feet, pain throbbing in his nose, staggering forward, squinting while raising a bloodied hand- and spotted Espio, snarling, as he… kicked at the wolf, quickly drawing himself to his feet, panting. Blood soaking his gloves and such. Looking a tad bit too dangerous, and Silver's gaze dropped to the wolf instead…

Silver paused. And then he said, groggily and muffled with the hand and nose, "He is out cold, right?"

Espio spun around, taking a look at him, which quickly turned into worry, and then he said, "Yes he is." They both stared for a bit at the wolf, once pristine coat now bled trough in several spots, with tears in the fabric… And Espio absentmindedly crouched down, yanking out a knife from… _somewhere_ , and then storing it away in his glove.

"…He is _just_ out cold, right?"

"…Also yes." Espio stood up again, eyes immediately going to Silver, body following suit. He took a look at Silver's nose, and Silver took a look at him, trying to spot any cuts or something… There _was_ a bruise at his jaw, but mostly he was just… covered in blood – not his own – and not actually injured…

 _Urgh, my head…_

"We should get you to a hospital," said Espio, sounding stressed and almost like he was convincing himself.

"'s not necessary," insists Silver. What about the case? Stolen chaos-drives? Blaze? Truck suddenly turning up way out here? …Wait, they hadn't checked the back of the truck yet? "Really. But shouldn't we check the truck…?"

Espio looked at him again, for a few seconds, and Silver thought he must be hesitating. And then he sighed, and said, "Yes. We better take a look."

* * *

The back of the truck was, unsurprisingly, really dark. That kind of dark you hid bodies in, which was exactly the treatment they gave the wolf. Espio explained that the wolf was a so-called CE healer, a sort of healer specialised in using chaos energy, who usually accompanied groups of GUN agents when they were sent on special missions…

-And _then_ Espio found some bandages, face lighting up with pleasant surprise, and yeah…

"Sit down," he told Silver, who flopped down on an overturned box, giving Espio curious looks. The detective quickly discarded his gloves – soggy with blood – and drew a knife – quick second of alarm, but there was no one here – and used it to cut bandages from the roll they found.

He took a decent-sized patch, and turned to Silver. "Your hand…?"

Silver lowered it, and Espio leant forward, carefully wiping away blood from his muzzle. Iblis, did this feel weird… Not that he really minded Espio patching him up, but…

Another ' _urgh'_ will do.

…Silver resolved to just stare at his shoes. Which quickly turned into another game of 'can you spot any bruises on Espio or not?'. Luckily, he spotted only one except for his jaw; a gash on his arm. And Silver's eyes jumped from that one to his jaw, which looked nasty… Nasty, _oh_ , wonder how he himself looked like with his nose- _actually_ , how bad was it?

"You done soon?" Silver asked, staring past Espio and at a wall.

"…I don't think so." Pause, the DIY handkerchief stilling. "We really should have gone to a hospital inste-"

"No," insists Silver immediately, eyes going to stare intently at Espio. "I'm fine – really! You should have seen me that _other_ time, back when I was eleven – I still have scars. Anyway – we found this truck! Progress! …So let's not stop _now_."

"…Alright," says Espio softly, at last. He removes his hand and the bandage, seems to think again, and then he puts down the patch on another overturned box. He takes some bandage for himself, and then Silver steps in, Espio looking vaguely surprised but saying nothing, as Silver quickly but gently wrapped the bandage around his arm, fingers brushing Espio's arm briefly, with him looking up, Espio meeting his gaze…

-And then they both whipped around, two person-shaped things suddenly blocking off the light and stomping inside the truck, weapons up and yelling, "DON'T MOVE!"

…It was certainly shaping up to quite the eventful afternoon.

And well, for a moment, Espio and Silver both stood nearly paralysed, Silver discreetly inching his hands away from Espio's arm…

The two persons took another few loud steps inside, and the light stopped framing them so drastically, showing that it was a hyena lady – also in long, white, fancy coat – and an ostrich whose clothes suggested he might have been the original driver. What with all the yellows and orange... and yeah, they were still pointing The Metallic Apparently Weapon Things at him and Espio… who, by the way, had taken a step closer to Silver…

"Wait, those guys?" remarked the ostrich then, disbelieving, aiming his 'gun' at Espio.

"They did take out Davy, though…" mused the hyena, her weapon aimed at Silver. "Unless…" she suddenly looked worried. She turned to the ostrich, quickly snapping and order, "Check outside. There might be more of these guys – what if they've called the police?"

"Fuck," was all the ostrich said, already sprinting outside. The hyena didn't move her glare nor aim from Silver and Espio for not even one second, while Silver had been glancing at the ostrich, at the hyena, at Espio, at the doors, the weapon, everywhere…

"Who _are_ you two?" demanded the hyena, apparently making up for her shortness with fierceness.

Espio gave a sigh, and said emotionlessly, "Chaotix detective agency, independent, fast, reliable."

"…Private detectives?" the hyena stated. She swallowed, still holding up that 'gun'. "How many of you are there?"

"Enough," replied Espio, just as Silver reached out and snatched her gun, mind willing it to snap in two parts… which it _did_ , after a bit of concentration, the hyena staring at the scenario like a plant had just sprung up through the floor, while Espio used these three seconds to leap forward, drawing two knives and throwing one, the hyena letting out a shocked yell just as the knife went with a 'tuff' and lodged itself in her shoulder…

…and Espio landed, ever so graceful, the hyena hissing as blood welled up-

"NED!" She shrieked, tugging out the knife with another hiss and a splatter of blood, Silver dashing forward while grabbing for the knife with his mind, Espio drawing yet _another_ knife-

And _then_ two more persons burst in into the truck, eyes wild and waving their weapons and-

 _BANG_

 _Shit_

-Silver really didn't expect the 'guns' to do _that_ , he shouted mentally while spinning around to get a better position, also waving his hands but for an entirely different reason. Espio seemed to have decided to just go with it, tackling the hyena to the floor, starting another match of kicking and wrestling and hissing, while the two guards who obviously couldn't… couldn't _shoot_ – _I mean what the shit_ – at their boss, or whatever, whipped around to…

Aim their guns at Silver.

 _I could die here_ , whispers some remote part of his consciousness, but another part quickly chimes in with; _that loser shot the wall, I mean seriously_ \- and Silver ignored both, throwing hands and will out, sending one gun flying with a shove of blue glow, one guard shrieking while the other-

 _BANG_

-Silver allowed a second of; _SHIT SHIT SHIT_ , another projectile making a second hole in the wall, this one _far_ too close to him, sweat or blood trickling down his chin – and then he ignored everything else, the world seemingly freezing for a second as-

 _Feel the power around you_ -

-as he, with a bout of concentration, strategy or perhaps insanity, managed to get hold of the guard with the gun, blue light ensnaring him – _bodies are the hardest to control_ – and taking him and slamming him against the wall of the truck, bashing his head once, twice, and a _third_ time, before then losing focus-

Because now a _fourth_ person rushed inside, a panda who also wielded a gun. And the coat. Of course. Espio had defeated the hyena, the third one looked like he was about to faint, and then the fourth started shooting, Silver's brain screaming at him to move just in time for him to step out of the-

 _BANG_

Hole in the floor.

Another shot – the wall.

He tried to focus, holding out a hand – _ugh_ – and the panda aimed again, Silver stumbling out of the way, another gun-shot ringing in his ears… and then there was a _scream_. For just a second, he froze, blood turning to liquid ice…

…and then he realised that it was the panda who had screamed and _not_ Espio, thank _Iblis_ \- which probably meant Espio had stabbed yet _another_ person –

 _BANG_

-Silver squinted, spinning around to look-

-and then someone punched him ow _ow aghhh –_ cheek stinging and more blood gushing from his nose, Silver lashing out mentally with murderous intent, got hold of _something_ – which struggled, thus a body – and gave it – with a last tremendous effort – a mental shove to hopefully send the fucker flying out of this damned vehic-

And then there were shouts and grunts and thuds, and a split-second later Silver realised he had thrown the culprit _at_ the other one, and perhaps hit Espio as well…

So he dashed forward, raising his hands… and a gun clattered away, one unfamiliar arm went slack, and then Espio drew himself to his feet, muttering something under his breath and pressing one hand to a new cut across his torso-

Silver's eyes involuntarily snapping downward as something _moved_ , but then Espio kicked at it, once, and the body stilled.

Silver swallowed. "…Are we even allowed to – to-"

"GUN's policy is along the lines of 'shoot first, ask questions later' so I think we're safe."

"…Ah. Okay."

Silver took a deep breath, rubbing at his nose. "Should we… What shall we do now?"

Espio didn't answer immediately, though that was normal, but Silver still turned to look at him. They both were bleeding…Huh. Apparently the past… was quite a violent place. Like whoa, yeah, he realised it before _but_ -

"We should look through these boxes," decided Espio then, and Silver lets go off his train of thought since it wasn't that important anyway.

"Sure," he says. Look through the boxes. The boxes, which should contain… chaos-drives. Glorious, glorious _chaos-drives_. He feels so _tired_ and there's blood dripping from his nose, but exhilaration, a sort of mad, gleeful _joy_ , still manages to creep up on him, together with the smell of victory…

He smiles, and they get to work.

* * *

They found some rope too, and Silver assures Espio that he can bind them tight enough to keep them there, so they do that too. And then they try out some of the chaos-drives; first on the culprits, in case they are faulty. The hyena and the ostrich looks much better though, so Espio deems them safe and immediately has Silver use some for his nose, which had Espio on an edge the whole fight.

They then find the ones labelled 'Emergency XXL'…

-They ignore those, except for the one Silver needs for his friend. Espio doesn't pry more into it, and instead move on to the next box. Or should he say crate? A sign says 'Emergency M', so Espio carefully picks one up – it looks like glitter swirling inside the glass – and slams the end into the wall, lid cracking open.

He then proceeds to go outside and empty the chaos-drive over the wolf, who… well, it _is_ kind of messy with all that blood. Distaste furrows his brow, but as the chaos drive works its magic, the cuts start to knit back together, some colour returning to his ashen face…

-Espio then quickly ties him up, before he can wake up and wreak more havoc.

GUN and the hospital probably won't mind that they take care of treating the criminals' wounds, wasting chaos-drives. Espio and Silver would seem like _they_ were the criminals, if they just left them here to bleed anyway. Though the fight had been brutal – maybe having chaos-drives so close by made them take risks…

And the culprits underestimated Espio and Silver severely.

And Espio thinks that Silver is more than worthy enough to fight alongside with.

Silver, who doesn't have any chaos-energy and who can _fly_. Who can move objects with a flick of his wrist. Who never once used all that for evil, though it would've been so _easy_.

Silver, the traveller, going through _time_. (Why did hedgehogs have to be so Extra?) Who only wanted to help, who had golden eyes and was so _bewildered_ by everyday things-

Silver, who somehow snuck in and divided Espio's life; now there's Chaotix, and then there's Silver…

…and then there's the fact that Espio hasn't answered a single one of all 37 calls he has gotten throughout the week, all from the office, and now guilt squeezes him uncomfortably, because he _could_ have answered, back at the hotel, _but_ -

He doesn't want to explain.

* * *

He has it. _Success_. Has obtained the one thing he came here for. He has it, finally, finally… except he cannot return. He has lost the key, the emerald, and there's no way to get back to the present without it…

He's stuck.

Tying up criminals in the past, when he _should_ be dashing to the present right _now_ and-

He lets out a frustrated sound, ties the rope a bit too tight, and continues working.

* * *

They manage to drag the bound criminals inside the truck, heaving and struggling, Espio adamantly refusing to let Silver use more of his powers. And mostly refusing to let him help with the carrying too. The culprits doesn't rouse, not even when one accidentally gets their head banged against the wall, but Espio is at least 90% sure that the chaos-drives _should_ have healed most of their injuries, and that they're not… drifting even farther away instead.

…He remembers the car-crash again. They would've _needed_ chaos-drives there, then, but instead…

"…So what now?" comes Silver almost airy voice then, piercing the quiet, and that's when Espio realises they're not doing anything.

He turns to look at Silver, slumped against a wall, wiping at his bloody – but not broken anymore – nose with another patch of bandage. He looked back at Espio, expectantly, and Espio realised, that the case was solved. It's over. Some paperwork and talking and evidence and proof that, court this, GUN something else, but really – it was over.

…Unless, of course, this whole 'stealing vital hospital equipment plot' was really just a small part of a _bigger_ scheme… which he would _gladly_ piece together, as soon as he would _finally_ be back at a café with a cup of latte and his notebook, which he had left…

…back at the office.

Back at _their_ office, the Chaotix HQ, and-

He answers, calmly, "We will go home," and Silver raises a brow, golden eyes twinkling. "I have some people I'd like to introduce."

… _however well_ _ **that**_ _will go…_


	3. III

**A/N: Did you know Espio is taller than Silver? Cause I didn't**

 **.**

GUN offers them a ride, so Espio and Silver leave the transport truck and a few police cars behind, the hospitable officer driving the car along a remote, over-grown road through the forest. Silver looks queasy at only the _prospect_ of traveling in a car, and sits and stares out of the window, wiping at his nose anxiously. Espio just sits in the backseat with him, thinking…

It's afternoon when they get back to the city. Station Square looks annoyingly bright and crowded after the solitude of the woods, the sun glaring down and reflecting from windows and wind-shields, flocks of teenagers waiting to cross the road at seemingly every intersection.

Espio glances at Silver, who looks vaguely nauseous. Or maybe Espio is just imagining it, judging by Silver's expression…

Maybe Espio is feeling a bit anxious too.

-Though for _that_ he knows the reason.

The officer, very predictably, drives the car to GUN HQ. Parks outside among the other police cars standing in rows in front of the building, shaped like a giant brick with a simple sign saying 'GUN' above the doors. And so the car comes to a stop, engine fading to silence, Espio opening the door and throwing a glance at Silver.

Silver, who quickly slips out of the car, slamming the door shut with a relieved look.

"Are you meeting anyone here, sir?"

Espio shakes his head, and says, "No. We'll be leaving."

"Well then," says the officer, and stands next to the car. Apparently he's going to stand there until Espio and Silver leave. Or go inside the building. Though they have a meeting in a whole different place… _thirty-seven (intentionally) missed phone calls._ Espio could already feel all feelings of victory fading away under the looming shadow of anxiety…

Though the longer he stayed away, the worse it would be when he came back. (And besides, Charmy's record for not answering the phone, was _at least_ forty-three)

* * *

Silver wasn't sure what to expect. Not that Espio had given him any clues – _I'm going to introduce you to someone!_ – and it wasn't like Silver had any sort of grasp on the past, either. In any case, Silver was quite content in trailing after Espio, as opposed to traveling in a _vehicle_ , and the weather was pleasant; Silver's light fur making him a harder target for the sun to warm uncomfortably.

They walked along some streets they might have walked along before, people talking and looking at their phones, carrying bags and shoving past you, the occasional bicycle making everyone dash to the sides. Silver's limbs felt sore, but it wasn't too bad… _I guess_

The person who _should_ feel the most discomfort walking, was obviously Espio. Makeshift bandages wrapped around his arms, the cuts… though hey – at least those brutes had had absolutely terrible aim.

-Silver really would rather not know what it'd feel like to be shot like that.

Espio continued walking without showing any pain, though, and soon Silver could no longer recognise anything in the surroundings…

And then they reached the sea.

Turning around a corner, and then suddenly you could see the ocean down below the hills. They were so high up, the street in front of them large and trafficked and continuing all the way down and down and down to the harbour, winding down the steep hill, with tall buildings with windows catching the light, making them sleek and shiny and dazzling, taking up the ground below and reaching for the rise they stood on…

Seagulls screeched, and if Silver looked intently he could pick out the vehicles moving far below.

"We've still got a bit to go," remarked Espio then, and Silver realised they had stopped walking.

…And _that's_ when he finally thought to ask, "So where are we going?"

"To my… office. House. It's down in the harbour."

"Ah," said Silver, glancing first at Espio – who looked at him – and then down at the harbour. He could spot a few ships, but mostly it just looked like an absurdly long sidewalk. With warehouses. And cranes. The sea glittered blue, reflecting the sky, and Silver's eyes trailed up to the horizon, two shades of blue divided by a neat, transparent line. And beyond that…

…he really couldn't see that far. He compared the view to the sea of the future, trying to map things out or… whatever. They soon started walking again, Espio leading the way quietly, Silver trailing after like usual.

They eventually reached the harbour, Espio walking like he knew exactly where he should be going, but like he really didn't want to arrive. And then they finally – the sun was starting to go down – reached their destination.

Which turned out to be a two storey building which certainly didn't rely on gravity to stay upright, looking both misplaced and fitting in at the same time, standing just metres short of falling into the ocean. A sign above the door said something, which Silver – surprise, surprise – couldn't read. The roof was red and slanted. The walls some shade of yellow. The windows were shut, and some ads were plastered to the door. And light spilled out through the venetian blinds, though it wasn't that visible in the light of the setting sun…

"…Shouldn't we go inside?" asked Silver, after a moment of silence.

"Yes," agreed Espio. He finally stepped up to the door, waited, and knocked. Silver took a step to stand beside him, feeling more curious than anxious – since really he had no anxiety left, it had all been used up on criminals and injuries and cases and blood and chaos drives and Blaze and-

Footsteps sounding loudly from the inside, Espio grimacing, and then the door opened and Silver looked up… and _up_ , because this guy was _tall_. And flitting through his head came the thought: _maybe I should say hello and-_

" _Espio_ ," said Mr Tall loudly, glaring at Espio, like he didn't even notice Silver.

"Hello Vector," replied Espio calmly, just a bit too lightly. They stared at each other for maybe three seconds, Silver staring at them, and then-

" _Where the hell have you been?!"_ shouted tall guy, Vector. " _THIRTY-EIGHT times_ I called you! _What the fuck were you doing?!_ You better have dropped your phone _or else so help you_ -"

"I was solving the case," cut in Espio, somehow being heard while talking calmly.

"The case? _THE CASE_?! Then why DIDN'T you answer your goddamn phone?! I thought you'd been killed and left in a ditch to rot, you _bastard_ -"

"Or they could've sold your body parts on the black market!" piped another, ridiculously cheerful voice up, a... _little kid?_ poking his head out through the door. He went completely ignored by both Espio and Vector, and instead he spotted Silver, who stood awkwardly to the side and just stared, hand half-raised-

"Oh!" The kid, a bee, apparently, exclaimed, as Espio and Vector continued their rather one-sided argument loudly. "Are you the culprit? You sure don't look like a match." Silver blinked in confusion, but the bee just continued, "Or did you get taken hostage by the baddies? And Espio had to save you?" Silver frowned.

"No, I – who are you even?"

"I'm Charmy Bee!"

…Really informative.

"Yeah, but why-"

-And that's when Vector noticed Silver.

"You-" he started a sentence, but suddenly stopped, gaze falling on Silver and spotting the stranger suddenly standing on his porch. Seconds passed. Painfully awkward seconds. And then he said, incredulously, turning back to Espio, "You brought a _hedgehog_?"( – why did that sound more like someone questioning why you didn't follow the grocery list, than someone asking who your new friend is?)

"…Yes," replied Espio, eyes flitting to Silver briefly. "He-"

"He isn't the culprit, _right_?" Interrupted Vector. "I seriously-"

"No, he-" began Espio, but unfortunately Silver spoke at the same time, exclaiming,

"No I'm not!"

They both looked at him again, while Charmy, still hovering next to Vector, said brightly, "Well he certainly doesn't _look_ evil!"

…Silver thought, that if this agency would really operate by judging people based on their looks, then they wouldn't have gotten that far.

-Anyway,

Espio held up a hand, and said quickly, "Silver, this is Vector, my 'boss'. Vector, this is Silver. He's my… friend."

"You…" Vector groaned, leaning against the doorframe. "Okay, nice to meet ya, Silver. This is Chaotix detective agency; best private detectives in the city." Silver nodded, and Vector nodded back. And then he spun around to glare at Espio again. "Well, since the introductions are over…"

"Did you catch the culprit?" Interrupted Charmy excitedly, and Espio answered smoothly, still pretending to ignore the bee's presence,

"The culprit _s_ , but yes." Another brief glance at Silver, standing next to him. "Silver was a great help in doing so. He's quite extraordinary."

Two sets of eyebrows were raised, while Espio held up his expression of calm resolution. Silver thought that he himself might have flushed, hadn't he already bled so much though his nose… No, really. Blaze was the only one who had complimented Silver before… (Not that he had met that many people anyway)

At last Vector nodded. _Is the shouting going to start again? -_ Silver's first impression of Vector was tall, green, and _loud_ , and _how can Espio even work with this guy?_ And Silver didn't know what do know, except for hanging by Espio's side like Charmy was hovering behind Vector…

And then Vector shook his head and said, "Next time, you _will_ call, even if you're… having a tea-party with aliens and some robot. Thirty-eight calls! There's time to do some fucked up shit in that time; you can't just disappear like that!"

"Yeah!" Agreed Charmy, Silver's eyes snapping over to him briefly.

"I won't," said Espio then calmly, softly, and Silver realised he might have gravitated closer to him than he planned to. "I'll keep you guys updated, next time."

"Good."

Espio and Vector both nodded, giving the other exasperated looks. Silver felt slightly awkward, slightly left out, and Charmy nodded too, but went mostly ignored. Still hovering in the doorway. And then Silver noticed that he was holding a bunch of papers and a lollipop, and Silver wondered how he hadn't noticed that before. Distractions.

"…Well," stated Vector then. "It's getting late…"

 _Another hotel it is_ , Silver thought, and then, _but won't Espio stay here?_

"Yes," agrees Espio, and his companions start for the door, Espio moving after them, glancing at Silver who- _are we_ _ **both**_ _going to stay here?_ And then Espio gestures for him to follow, and relieved Silver follows, still confused why Espio didn't tell him before, still awkward, still so-

And they go inside, but before Silver can take anything in, Charmy flies past, saying cheerfully to him before disappearing, "If he's complimenting you like that, then he really does like you!" And Silver blinks, confused, the bee shooting up the stairs with a sing-song, "Later!" and Silver is both annoyed, baffled and… hopeful? Happy?

"Hey-!" he calls, but Espio's quiet voice cuts through it and says almost tiredly,

"He's always on a sugar-high; don't bother."

"…Okay," says Silver, mostly to announce he heard, and then he turns to look at Espio, who has his back to him, and instead sees the room properly for the first time.

The walls were much the same fading colour as the sunset he can see through the venetian blinds, a great desk taking up the middle of the room. Technology Silver can't recognise, and a couple of couches looking old but comfortable. Magazines, newspapers, more papers, strewn seemingly without any order on all available surfaces. And Silver tries to fit Espio in among this… But it takes too long, and maybe Silver doesn't know Espio that well after all…

Hah, a few weeks, a few life-or-death situations. Not nearly enough, is it…?

* * *

They weren't expecting company, obviously. It's messy, and when Vector looks for something to eat in the kitchen, he ends up with an embarrassing amount of candy and bread. The butter's gone, and somehow there's three bottles of ketchup. Though at least they have tea – Espio keeps that stocked – and the meal isn't too awkward…

"So where are you from?" asks Vector, just a Charmy inquires, "Why is there so much bandage?"

Silver takes a gulp of tea – probably stalling time – and says, "Abroad," to which Espio continues with, "He's just visiting."

"And, uh…" Silver draws a blank at Charmy's question, or at least Espio thinks it's Charmy's question, and so he answers for him,

"We ran into some trouble earlier."

At this Vector points at him with his mug of tea, beverage sloshing around dangerously. "Trouble?" You _did_ run into trouble! If shit goes south, get some back-up!"

 _But I did_. "I have my reasons."

A loud snort, and then Vector says, "Okay, yeah. You like being cool, doing stuff all mystically ninja-style working solo, but we're your team!"

…Did this count as your family embarrassing you in front of friends? "As I said, before, Silver was a great help with this case."

After that, conversation stills a bit. There's silence, and Charmy says something, and Espio just starts to drink his tea to show he's busy. Also, the beverage was getting cold. And also… He should've worded that sentence better, and not sound like some moron ditching his team for a guy who… who's going to leave as soon as he's able. Silver came for a reason, and he will be leaving for the same.

He can't stay forever, of course, that's just absurd to think. If he leaves in just a _week_ though… what then?

"…So you run a detective agency together?" Silver asks, Espio's glance going to him again. It's Vector who answers though, with a 'yeah' before launching in into a story about how he met Espio some – which feels like many even though they're not – years ago. And _of course_ he gets the details all wrong, so Espio has to correct him, and-

"No we didn't! And there weren't any explosions either!"

"You don't remember? All that stuff got destroyed and-"

"That was because of your driving skills, and not some robot-attack!"

" _Sure._ We fought against roots, and then-"

"Don't listen to him," says Espio at this point, happy but exasperated. "He crashed his car into the restaurant I worked at, and that's it." _And then he convinced me to join his and Mighty's agency._ That tale had a lot of stupid details, but they sure as hell didn't blow anything up – Vector was just exaggerating.

(Thankfully)

"No, no, no," insists Vector, and Espio _is growing tired of your shit Vector_. "My car was being chased down by robots, and so I had no choice but to-"

"-to crash your car?" Espio interrupts quickly, but before he can say anything else, Silver – mostly silent – suddenly says,

"But why did you join then? I m-mean," he looked flustered, and held up his hand, swatting away replies. "Why would you suddenly just, become a detective instead?"

Why was Vector the one answering? "Easy – who wouldn't want to join _my_ agency?"

Exasperated, Espio quickly replied, "I just wanted to be a detective – seemed cool. And… I wanted to help people." _Chaos, who doesn't?_ And the satisfaction when you're finally done with the paperwork, closing a case… It's all for justice, really. For knowing you helped society, if nothing else…

Silver seems to take all that in slowly though, nodding and looking like he's considering it, a sort of shine to his eyes as he takes his cup and raises it to his lips, Espio suddenly noticing how his eyes have these specs of ginger colour in them…

-It is rather horrific though, that when Espio glances back at him, Vector winks at him like he knows something is up…

* * *

It's almost so that Silver forgets, but then he remembers and hangs on to it for dear life – he needs that emerald, a chaos emerald. ASAP. He can't forget the purpose…

* * *

They all clean the table, Silver insisting he should help, and the Chaotix all insisting they take care of it. Espio has to show Silver where to put everything – why does he? It's not like Silver will ever use this knowledge again – and of course the time-traveller doesn't know what most of the appliances do…

Espio doesn't mind teaching him though, and soon they're all done. Charmy takes out another bag of candy, and flops down on the couch, gaming equipment strewn all over the place. Vector closes the last cupboard, mutters something about Charmy which Espio would probably agree on, and turns to him and Silver. Espio closed the fridge, raising an eyebrow, and Vector says, "So Silver; have you ever broken the sound barrier?"

-to which Silver answers with, "The… what? I'm sorry?"

-And Espio quickly explains, "Vector just assumed that you had the same ability as some other hedgehogs we know." _…Does he?_ Maybe Silver could actually run really fast too, but… no. That was just – he would have been running if that was the case. _And_ he hadn't ran that fast back in the city-

"What ability?"

"Super-speed," replies Vector. He grins. "Those two we know? They used to chase each other through the city, just jumping over cars and tearing through the streets."

"Oh," says Silver, looking vaguely like he's picturing it. Vector just grins, leaning against the counter, and Espio glances between them, suddenly overcome with the strange urge to say _, but Silver's powers are far more incredible_. But he doesn't, stops himself at the last second, because if Silver doesn't want to tell then Espio really shouldn't spill the secret like that…

Vector then leaves the kitchen, and Espio and Silver lingers there awkwardly. _What now?_

"I should prepare the sleeping arrangements," decides Espio out loud. Silver looks up and nods,

"Yeah, probably… uh. Do you have a room?"

"Upstairs," answers Espio, and then suddenly they're going up the stairs. It's messy, random things strewn all over the corridor, clothes and candy wrappers and case-files, which Espio realises with a bit of shame, have been dragged out from _his_ room. This is the place where he's lived for three years – no, who in their group even remember their parents – and Espio doesn't even have the option of ever seeing where _Silver_ lives…

Which feels like another cold sting, as he pushes the door open. First glance inside, and Espio is relieved to see that Charmy hasn't messed anything up – Espio keeps it relatively tidy. He steps inside, and looks back at Silver.

* * *

Silver hasn't ever had a room. Like, I mean – there's barely _houses_ left anymore, and they're just ruins, mostly, and…

Silver follows Espio into the room. Walls: boring colour, same as corridor. There's a bed tucked into a corner, and… yeah, Silver's gonna sleep on the floor – and then there's a closet, a desk flooded with papers… some knives in a bunch, and a poster Silver can't read. A houseplant which looks like it wants to escape its pot, some sort of chair…

And it all, so painfully obviously, feels _foreign_.

-Not as bad as, well, _everything_ back when he had just arrived in the past, but still…

Espio looks at him, and Silver says, "It's nice." But oh, why does he feel disappointment more than he does curiosity? _Is_ it disappointment? Why are feelings always so much easier to describe in what they _aren't_ , than what they are?

(Maybe he preferred it, when he only knew of Espio as a wanderer like himself)

(Oh Iblis, maybe he should actually focus on now instead of dicking around with all these negative emotions?)

(…Maybe Espio could have revealed that he had a team a bit earlier? Maybe Silver shouldn't be the only one revealing secrets? Hell, _why_ did they end up being secrets anyway? _Why_ -)

"I'll change the bedding so you can sleep on the bed."

…"No, no, I'll sleep on the floor."

"But you're the guest," says Espio, like it has to be said. " _I_ will sleep on the floor."

"I'm used to sleeping on the floor – I'll do it!"

"That would be very unhospitable of me – I can't just do that."

"No, it wouldn't!" says Silver honestly. _It's already awkward enough without me stealing your bed_. "You've already paid for like, everything I've eaten and done here already!"

"No, I _insist_ -"

* * *

-And so they both resolved to sleep on the floor.

Espio just wanted to be polite, but apparently Silver did too. So now Espio had dug up two old futons from the dusty, dark depths of the attic, and then it was suddenly black outside, and they both lay down on their mattresses, Espio to the right wall with Silver to the left one. The lights were switched off, and Espio could just barely make out the outlines of the furniture, seeing a sliver of street-lamp glow through the window…

Silver breathed, but it didn't sound like he was asleep.

Espio felt acutely awake.

Maybe because he was finally home, but Silver was still with him. Or perhaps because he wasn't completely exhausted… Or it could be because he wasn't used to sleeping on the floor…

"Espio…" says Silver quietly, and Espio's senses are way too sharp for him to imagine the sound.

"Yes?" he breathes back, staring into the dark.

"Are – forget it."

"Pardon?"

Exhale. And then he says, quietly, "…Are there any more people I should meet?"

…"No? I… don't have any more acquaintances…"

Silver hums. Espio thinks, and… maybe he could have introduced Silver sooner. It just didn't feel like The Time to do it…

"So this is your home…"

Espio would have nodded, had they been standing in a sunlit kitchen. "Yes… and my office." And he wonders, and says, because he wants to keep the discussion going, wants to just talk to Silver- "Do you work for anyone in your time?"

A shuddering exhale which Espio takes for a chuckle. "Nah," says Silver in hushed tones. "There's no currency, barely any villages. There isn't anyone to work with."

"…Do you live in a village?"

"No." And Silver takes on a softer voice, like he's amused, which Espio notes. "I'm a traveller, remember? Living nowhere, from far abroad… or something."

Oh Chaos, that café really was from years ago.

"And your friend?"

"Blaze? …I've known her for forever, and-" Pause. "People… didn't like her, for whatever reason – she's the best friend you could ever have – no offense though! …like, she's always so calm, and kind, and… she knows stuff. She's saved my life so many times…"

Espio just listened, taking everything in. Silver sure respected her, didn't he? She sounded nice, Espio guessed… He wouldn't swap excited and bubbly Charmy, or loud, sometimes-the-expert, sometimes-the-idiot, Vector, for anyone though…

For _almost_ anyone he thinks, but he isn't sure, and that's another feeling he's starting to hate.

Silver continues his tale, in that oddly soft and accented voice, "She's got powers too – _fire_. It's so cool – she just spins and then there's flames whirling around her! And it's good for campfires. It's good for burning through obstacles, she's… And… well yeah."

Espio hums as an answer, way too calmly for how he's feeling. And then he asked, because he _had_ to, because-"So what is she to you?"

"Huh? … _Oh_. She's like a sister to me."

And miraculously they both knew what Espio meant, what was implied, and that the other knew, when he then asked, quietly even for this conversation, "And what am _I_?"

Seconds passed. And then Silver said, lastly and lightly, "A weirdo." And then he snorted, and Espio could hear muffled sounds as he started laughing but quickly drowned it in the cotton, but he didn't really listen anyway. Why was this so funny. Was it that late in the night? I mean –he managed to hide his face in his pillow before he too could start laughing hysterically, or something equally embarrassing and loud and-

Was it nervousness which made him feel so awful?

"…No, seriously," Espio then insisted, after a moment and Silver's seizure had passed, the other's breathing sounding loud in the sudden quiet. And Silver waited a long time before he answered, with Espio feeling more and more serious with every second, worse and worse...

"…You're my friend." (Somehow Espio saw a conversation for the future, like _, have you had any crushes? –once, but he didn't like me back… -wait, you're gay? – no idea_ ) such a short sentence, and Espio stood somewhere between sadness and ' _is that all_?'…and _then,_ painfully long seconds later _,_ Silver _added_ to that, softly, "I mean – if you consider me as anything else I-" A very quiet, sheepish chuckle, and Espio lay frozen on his futon.

He _knew_ , didn't he? But he couldn't know how Espio felt right now, awful and exhilarated, and how Espio didn't dare do anything lest the moment shatter… or _maybe_ Silver knew he held all the cards, and was just dragging out the moment – but he was too kind a person for that, to-

"…I know," he says.

"Like – shit this is awkward – but… you know."

…And Silver didn't say anything more. And no, Espio did _not_ know, _what_ \- besides, _now_ it sounded horrifically like Silver was asleep.

Silver _knew_.

But Espio couldn't decipher what _he_ meant.

And now _he_ was asleep, and Espio was going to replay this conversation all night, dissect it like a detective, _but if Silver said '_ you know _' then shouldn't Espio know then_? Did Silver just avoid the topic? Was Espio just being stupid and illogical and blaming it all on how late it was? And, lastly, worst of all, the darkest, scariest parts of yourself – _feelings_. To analyse.

* * *

And then suddenly, Silver stirs. His head is throbbing, and he rubs at his eyes until they are even more stinging and annoying than when he first woke up. And then he stares at Espio, not feeling exhausted but just sleepy… and then he realises, that Espio is still asleep.

…Like, whoa, Silver woke up before Espio.

-And yesterday night comes knocking on the door gently, which has Silver groaning and trying to repress most of his memories. Though really… he handled that pretty smoothly, didn't he? –or at least Espio should feel just as awkward when _he_ wakes up…

Silver decides to wait. He doesn't particularly feel like getting up anyway, so he just observes Espio's breathing. And his face… until suddenly, his eyes are opening, and he glances back at him groggily, raising a hand to rub at his eyes. And Silver looks away, at the window. The rain is pouring down, and it's dark outside…

Silver uses his psychokinesis to flick the switch, and then both he and Espio groans at the sudden light.

"Morning," says Silver, a bit late.

"Morning," Espio mumbles back. And then that's it, and they get up, and Silver puts on his boots and drags a hand through his quills, and then they set out.

* * *

Several streets away from the Chaotix HQ, together underneath the one umbrella they found in the house, after many promises of ' _yes I will call'_ Silver then voiced his one concern. Probably the reason they were even out in this weather. "I still need a chaos emerald."

"Yes," Espio agreed. "I might be able to help you with that." And then he stopped, so Silver had to stop too since Espio was the one holding the umbrella. Which he now handed to Silver, so that he could take out his phone. Silver raised an eyebrow, held the umbrella, and watched as Espio proceeded to call someone…

…Who _did_ answer, after a bit of time, but because of the rain Silver couldn't hear what the other person was saying anyway.

"It's Espio."

"…I was wondering if I could borrow your emerald."

"I have a friend who needs it. –And no, it isn't Sonic."

"…You haven't met him."

"-Because it's urgent and I'm asking you?"

Silver watched Espio's face as he talked, changing expressions – though not much – and took care not to whack the rare but occasional passer-by in the head with their shared umbrella…

"Yes… Oh? Could you please?"

"Thank you."

And Espio hung up, Silver not bothering to ask ' _who was it?_ ' because most likely he wouldn't know the person anyway. –Espio put away his phone, and accepted the umbrella, saying as they started walking again,

"The guy I called didn't let me borrow his emerald-" Silver suddenly started wondering what would happen if he stole away an emerald from this time to get to the future, but then remembered that he had already left an emerald from the future in _this_ time, so… "-but he did tell me where I could find another emerald. It's close to this city, in the forest nearby."

Forest nearby…?

"I think that's my emerald."

Espio blinks. "Your…? You dropped it in the forest?"

"Probably," says Silver. "I mean – I'm not a hundred percent sure, but it was there I appeared after using chaos control…"

Everything about that memory was _hurt_ , and _Blaze_ , and _urgency_ , and how the past was so strange and the forest wasn't that lush at all, but mostly he didn't really remember it. Meeting Espio was much better ingrained in Silver's memory, anyway…

"We better get going then," says Espio, and Silver nods, and suddenly they're partners again, un-awkward and determined, faith and purpose clouding over the tension and nervousness. It's still pouring buckets, the water splattering right back up from the street, so they keep the umbrella and keep up their walking, but in a new direction, and just a bit faster…

…Maybe it's the rain, which makes it feel so sad. That the little part of their stories they wrote together, will come to an end, soon…

The future is waiting, back home, and Blaze, having bled and bled and- _and he could save her now_. And they can't get to the forest fast enough for Silver, he can't get back _home_ fast enough… but then he glances briefly at _Espio_ , and it's not _slow_ enough, so for the rest of the way, he resolves to only look forward, and not ever back…

* * *

Shadow gave detailed enough descriptions, but Espio almost wishes he didn't, so that he and Silver could stumble around in the rain just a bit longer…

" _You know"_

 _But I don't!_

They both stayed quiet, wetness seeped into their boots, and eventually they reached a bus stop. So that, quite obviously, they could travel closer to their destination with a bus…

* * *

 _He was inside another goddamn vehicle_.

And in this one, he had to _stand_ , and hold on to some rail up in the ceiling. And lots of others were trying to do the exact same thing, and it was _still_ raining outside.

And had he not been busy ' _dying: cause: vehicles_ ' then he would probably have been juggling his thoughts, going from Blaze, to Espio, to Blaze, to- _so_ maybe it was more favourable to cling to this feeble handrail after all, like it would somehow help with this nauseous feeling-

* * *

They reached the stop Espio was aiming for, and left the bus, which disappeared down the road, spraying up water after it so that they got even more drenched. But that was not the problem, because behind those rows of houses and cottages and the city's last line of civilisation, the forest could be seen rising like a blue and diffuse mountain, through the haze of the downpour…

Espio unfolded the umbrella, Silver quickly ducking under it for cover, and they started walking again…

* * *

 _Later…_

It stopped raining somewhere along the way. And, to Silver's delight, the sun came out, rays coming through the leaves and making everything warm and golden, and shimmering because of the water. Their shared silence has been going on for so long that now talking feels absurd, but then Espio just, suddenly, says,

"What did you mean by it?"

-And dramatically enough, Silver knows _exactly_ what he means, but that's mostly because he's been thinking about it too, and not because of some strange coincidence... But shit, maybe he shouldn't have said it – as in _why the shit did I word it like that_ – because now he has to _explain_ it, and doesn't Espio realise what kind of abyss he wants to shine at with a flashlight?

"I meant," Silver begins, but then. Is it alright to say it _now_ , when it's already the end? Or does he _have_ to say it now, _because_ it's the end?

You know what?

Soon he'll never see this guy again, so he might as well just – crush all those insecurities and doubt and withering self-confidence, and just _go_ -

"I meant, I know what those glances at me mean – or I think anyway – _and_ ," Silver takes a deep breath, and Espio's staring at him, wide-eyed, and Silver just throws up his hands and says, "You _like_ me, don't you?"

…This is when you hear the critters in the background, because of all that eerie silence.

Silver thinks that, maybe, he has made another horrifying mistake. Though okay, as soon as they find the emerald, it'll all be _over_ anyway, so maybe not everything is-

"…Yes," says Espio, quietly. And when Silver stares at him, he looks away, and he's fidgeting with his glove, and suddenly _Espio_ is the one anxious and awkward, with Silver… with Silver knowing everything, with Silver being the calm one…

-This is when he should say everything. And so, he says, "...In _that_ way. And… and I kinda sort of maybe like you too but I'm also really bad at this so _let's just find that emerald, 'kay?"_

Silver doesn't look at Espio, but it's silent for a long moment.

And then Espio says, "Yes," and that's all.

* * *

They walk and they walk, the forest nearly glowing in the sheen of water and sunlight.

Espio's silent, and Silver wants to throw something, just take something and hurl it into the woods. Iblis, he is disappointed in himself. And mad at himself. He hasn't decided yet, but he's feeling nauseous either way.

He's going to leave today.

 _Bye_

If there's anything he wants Espio to know, then he should say it _right now_.

…He doesn't have any words. And that's when he gets The Worst Idea Ever.

He (can't believe he's doing this) just grabs Espio arm, catches his hand, and doesn't let go even when Espio stumbles to a stop and turns to stare at him, so that Silver's stomach does something uncomfortable, lurches through the ground more like it-

"Silver?" asks Espio.

"Do you, uh… want to kiss?"

Yeah, Silver doesn't really regret saying it but – _but that sounded so wrong oh my gods-_

Espio blinks, and then he's putting a hand at Silver's waist. So Silver grabs his hand tighter, and moves a step closer, trying not to have his face burnt off by blushing before – by the way, did you know that _white fur is absolutely the fucking worst_ if you're blushing; you'll shine like a campfire – before anything, whatever, happens-

"…Shit," it slips out, and then Silver is promptly hiding his face into Espio's chest – he probably doesn't mind. Hopefully – and giggling – or is he hyperventilating? "…Jeez, haha, like, I don't know how to-"

And then Espio is placing a hand under his chin, and tilting his head upwards gently, Silver's eyes squinting because of his uncontrollable laughing fits that he's suddenly very prone to… Deep breaths… deep breaths… And he looks up, and Espio is looking right at him – _I probably look like a lunatic_ – and Espio says – and now _he's_ blushing, Silver notes with glee, "…Can I kiss you?"

"Go ahead," says Silver, and that didn't sound half-bad. And then Espio tilts his head – this is the first time Silver's really noticed that horn he has on his forehead – and Silver leans back in…

They kiss.

Silver draws back; ookay, that felt a bit weird… but nice. And it's Espio. Kisses symbolises something, and he wants to do this.

Espio blinks, but before he can say something, Silver kisses him again. And ooh, it's getting better – he's getting the hang of this…

 _Crash-crunch-_ _ **THUD!**_

…which essentially means that right this moment something will come crashing down through the leaves to interrupt them-

" _Sonic!~_ Looking for _this_ , are-"

Silver wasn't sure he didn't teleport, so fast he moved away from Espio, hands flying up by reflex – and he stared up at a… human… who stared back at him, glasses and enormous moustache, piloting some vehicle and holding up a-

 _The chaos emerald_

There, _there_ – he had to get it, how to get it, how-

Oh.

He throws his mind after the emerald, which flings itself out of the human's hand and shoots down at Silver, who grabs it triumphantly. The emerald – it's glowing deep blue, and Silver can feel the power radiating off of it – whatever sense he's using for that. _The emerald_. He's two words away from home, two words away from…

Espio.

Silver's glance snaps upwards, just as the human sputters, " _You_? Where's Sonic? Why are you here?"

And Espio answers, Silver immediately glancing at him, "I could ask you the same."

The human ignores him though. "He was supposed to fall for my trap! He was- _my emerald?!"_

 _Shit_ , thought Silver. _Who is that person?_ The human looked seriously spooked, his vehicle flailing its… limbs, and Silver clutched the emerald firmer, glancing at Espio… who glanced right back. And Silver had an idea – he dashed the few steps back up to Espio, took his arm, just as the human yelled something which Silver didn't give a single shit about and-

" _Chaos control_!"

The world rippled, like the surface on a pond…and _then_ it smoothed right back over, he and Espio promptly falling, crashing down onto-

 _Thud!_

"Ow, shit, shit, _shit_ -" groans Silver, mostly because he has to get some of this confusion and feelings and irritation off his chest, and he hit the floor and tries to move – but Espio is pressing down painfully onto his leg-

* * *

 _Dr Eggman!_

And then, _chaos control?!_

And underneath all that, suppressed, but screaming just as loud, just as crucially important, _we kissed? …Silver?_

 _Thud!_

The scenery is suddenly swapped and it's like a rug has been swiped from under his feet – they both fall into a heap, Espio scrambling to get up, _get up_ – what if it's dangerous – and then he looks around, and it's-

"…My bedroom?"

Silver draws himself to his feet too, slowly, and Espio looks at him as he answers sheepishly, "First place I thought of," holding the… the emerald in his hand.

…He really did it.

 _Chaos control_

It's practically legendary. It would be, if more people knew about it. Shadow brought it to light with a bang, but not many knows about it yet, thankfully… Still, it's like magic, it's got way too much potential… And Silver is able to do it. (It's not about the knowledge; it's about the power) (It's incredible and impossible)

… _What about the Doctor?_ Insists some part of his brain.

 _His plan failed… whatever he thought he was going to do._

They got the emerald, and they're back… and Espio glances at Silver, because he can look _now_ , right? And his quills are in a windblown sort of disarray, but it looks dashing on Silver, just like his eyes – curious, _alive_ – just like his powers – _nothing_ can match them – and Espio _doesn't want him to leave._

But he _will_ , he's going to as soon as _he has that emerald now_

…It's why he arrived here. He's a traveller. He was going to leave, of course, and Espio knows that feeling of wanderlust, but most of all – the need to be _there_ for someone else. –but it still hurts, hurts _, hurts and-_

* * *

He checks quickly – he has still got that chaos-drive. _It's over_. He swallows, and turns to Espio, who is looking vaguely in his direction, and says, "…" swallowing again, and he takes a step forwards and hugs Espio, who blinks and freezes. And then he puts his arms around Silver, and Silver definitely isn't looking past his eyes on purpose, as he tries again, saying, "Thank you, Espio. I, well y-yeah, wouldn't have been – thank you for everything."

It's so quiet; "No problem."

"…I should be going now, shouldn't I?"

He steps back, and Espio lets his arms fall. He nods, and Espio nods back, and Silver takes another step back, _some_ sort of resolve coming back to him. He's just doing what he must. He's still holding the emerald, and he raises it over his head, imagining the dark glade in the lost woods where he was forced to leave Blaze…

" _Chaos control!_ "

He was leaving, and Espio couldn't follow, and-

 _-Wait!_

* * *

 _Just go…_

It hurt to breathe, it hurt to move, it hurt even when Blaze didn't do any of that-

 _At least… Silver will make it…_

…Okay, really. If she were anywhere else, she would've dragged herself to her feet, have gotten some help. Left this place, healed, and _survived_ this ordeal. Unfortunately she got hit in the lost woods. Lost woods…

 _Hopefully Silver will make it…_

Silver. Friends for so, so long… and now it was all coming to a bitter end completely _pointlessly_ , and she was just so _mad_ \- why couldn't she have seen it before it struck? Why did she let it escape with its life? _Why did that senseless beast have to attack passer-bys anyway?_

 _Aghhh_

She let out an undignified sound, another wave of pain-

 _Silver better make it…_

-and then everything went white.

She almost thought she finally died, but when the light _cleared_ -

" _spio_!? W- _what_?! _Shit_! Shit, shit, shit- _why-!?"_

Silver was back. _Back_. Why hadn't he left like Blaze told him too; now he might just- _wait_ -

…Another person?

* * *

This was why he usually thought things through. Calmly. Like a detective should do, like a ninja should do.

But he only had two seconds to decide, what the hell, so he _just_ -

* * *

 _Espio, Espio, Espio_ , his mind kept blaring like an alarm and _why the hell did you grab me?! You knew what I was doing! You grabbed me! You-_

And then he breathed in a mouthful of stale air and nearly fell over Espio, catching a glimpse of trees and trees and _Blaze_ , and _now_ he had much more urgent things to worry about.

He quickly righted his balance, stumbling away from Espio while giving him a really quick furious look – _why_ – taking out the chaos-drive and turning to Blaze, who stared up at him… Iblis, he had missed her. And then his eyes landed on _that wound_ , and it was a nightmare once again, the blood still seeping and trickling and – it must have only been minutes since he left.

 _Shit_.

He still rushed and feel to his knees, slamming the chaos-drive open against the hard ground, and then he quickly brought it back up and held it all over Blaze's wound, the cat still staring like- like when Silver did something incredibly stupid, or – or…

 _If this doesn't work, then I… I… can't-_

He threw away the empty glass tube to the side. He looked at Blaze, and she stared back, exasperated. Gods, she was _exasperated_ of all things- and then she let out a gasp, and Silver's gaze flitted back… to the wound, starting to close like it was magic- the edges sewing themselves back together, closing so he didn't have to look at that glimpse of _bone_ anymore.

A few light-blue sparks floated up from the wound, rapidly changing into a scar, and Silver breathed a breath of relief so deep he didn't think possible- and promptly fell over to hug Blaze, hold Blaze – _she's alive_ – as she sat up-

"Blaze," he managed.

"…Didn't I tell you to leave?" But she smiled. And Silver didn't know if he was crying or laughing or just spontaneously having spasms-

 _She's alive, she's alive! She's alive…_

 _And Espio is here._

 _-Why?_

He _knew_ it was a one-way ticket – or technically, at least! – he _knew_ -

Though Blaze was here, and alive; Silver could not be bothered to care.

* * *

 _Later…_

"I'm Espio."

"And my name is Blaze."

"I know. Silver talks a lot about you."

She blinked, and turned to Silver, raising an eyebrow.

"And? That's coming from the guy who snogged me."

And now Blaze turned to _Espio_ -

"In my defense, Silver asked me to."

"And in my defense," Silver says quickly, angrily, "Why on Mobius did you follow me?! You're stuck here now! _Stuck!_ "

In Lost woods of all places… in a timeline Espio didn't belong… how could he be so _stupid_?! It was _dangerous_! Espio – Espio should be in his own time and his own home with his own friends-

"…I apologise.

"But I do not regret it."

And then Blaze added in, probably confused about – well, everything – but not showing it, saying, "Yet. You haven't regretted it _yet_."

* * *

 _I will regret it later, I know._

But by then, Silver could probably send Espio back to the past. And right now? Espio's determination wasn't going to falter for anything – and that's what's so dangerous about liking someone this much, isn't it? He knew this was the worst decision he had ever made – but if he hadn't followed Silver… then _that_ would have been the worst decision he had ever made.

 _Forgive me, Vector…_

…But besides, Silver could use a hand here, it seemed…

And he wasn't just justifying his reasons for doing what he did.

"We'll see," he replied vaguely, and Silver gave him a look, Blaze shaking her head. But then Silver smiled, grinned, eyes still a bit red, and Espio felt intensely that he _should_ regret it, but even more so that he just _couldn't_ ever do it…

 **.**

 **The End**

 **.**

 **Bonus:**

"Back already?"

Sonic flopped down on the couch, leaning back into lazily. "Yeah – I ran into Egghead."

"So what happened?" asked Tails, sitting down on the armrest while depositing some half-made device on the table.

"The usual." Sonic snorts. "'Cept that he kept blathering about some 'white hedgehog who teleports'… and Espio being there, too. Guess he finally lost it."

"Espio…" Tails mutters, and Sonic raises his head slightly to look at him.

"Know something?"

"Well… Apparently Espio 'disappeared' two weeks ago, and no one's herd anything since…"

…Oh. Disappeared, huh?

"Think this 'white hedgehog' kidnapped him?"

"No, no. Besides – we don't even know if the white hedgehog is real. And even if he was, we still have no evidence."

"No evidence, well…"


End file.
